Physical and Mental Health in FASD

There is mounting evidence that prenatal alcohol exposure can contribute to a range of health conditions apart from the well-known effects on the brain and neurobehavior. This has led to the idea that fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) should be considered as a “whole-body” condition. A small number of studies and health surveys have found that people living with FASD experience a range of chronic health issues, including mental health conditions, at much higher rates than the general population. Preclinical studies in animals have shown that prenatal alcohol exposure can result in offspring with high blood pressure, poor glucose homeostasis (indicating diabetes), and altered immune function and behavior. This fits with the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) hypothesis which suggests that a range of other prenatal exposures including maternal stress or a poor diet may increase the risk for developing chronic conditions in adult life. Understanding the full range of health problems faced by individuals exposed to prenatal alcohol is important to enable them to access appropriate healthcare throughout their lives and for healthcare professionals to be able to advise of potential prevention or intervention measures