Study: Fetal alcohol disorder affects more than previously thought

When a woman drinks alcohol during pregnancy, it can be dangerous for the baby by placing the child at high risk for fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.

Fetal alcohol syndrome disorder, a life-long disability, is a problem of which all women, whether they are pregnant or hope to get pregnant, need to be aware because the rate at which children are impacted might be higher than once thought, according to a new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

"In past large studies, the estimate was 10 out of 1,000 children may have something in this spectrum, and it's probably closer to 5 percent, which is significantly more than what we thought," said Dr. Salena Zanotti of the Cleveland Clinic.

Researchers assessed more than 6,000 first graders in the U.S. for fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. They found a total of 222 children with the disorder.

Experts say alcohol can impact pregnancy at any stage, causing heart or other birth defects. Alcohol also increases the risk of still birth or miscarriage.

In later stages of pregnancy, alcohol can affect brain development, which can significantly impact a child's memory, learning abilities and motor skills.

Often, though, cognitive problems do not appear until a child has reached school age.

The disorder is preventable, Zanotti said.

"This is something you're choosing to ingest, and this is something we can stop," Zanotti said. "There are people who have problems with addiction, and they need help, and so it's needing to find those resources."