Fetal alcohol syndrome. can you tell me how much drinking causes it?

Unknown: The actual intake of alcohol during the prenatal period which can result in damage to the fetus is unknown. There are equally important factors associated with poor diet, drug intake other than alcohol, and the duration of these exposures. Babies are very resistent changes, but if the mother is a severe drug/alcoholic abuser, it can detract from the ability for normal fetal development..

One drink can: Even a single ill-timed drink in a woman with excess production of acetylaldehyde can casue fetal alcohol syndorme. It is best to not drink at all if trying to get pregnant or already pregnant.

There is no known: safe amount of alcohol at any time during pregnancy. ½ oz. of absolute alcohol/ day can alter fetal brain development. Binge drinking on weekends, 4 drinks in an evening for women, is most harmful. The fetal brain starts to develop 3 weeks after conception or 1 week gestational age; other fetal organs soon after. The average for diagnosis of pregnancy is 8 weeks gestation. See http://fasdcenter.samhsa.gov

Variable effect: The 1st cases were described in the 60's born to skid row mom's who often died within a year.These heavily exposed infants had many specific features that gave rise to the label.The brain, a major target of alcohol byproducts, suffered the most permanent damage.Today even small amounts of alcohol exposure are thought to cause much of the ADD seen today.There is no proven safe level