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Studies conducted in Boston, Atlanta and Scandinavia indicate that at least some of the injuries to the fetus may be corrected in the womb if a mother gives up alcohol before her third trimester. Says Sterling Clarren, professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine: "It's pretty clear if a woman stops drinking in her second trimester, the size and the healthiness of the baby will improve, but there is no evidence that its intelligence will improve." Moreover, even the improvement in appearance may be deceptive. "The babies definitely are bigger and look healthier," says Dr. Sokol, "but that doesn't mean that all the effects go away."
Scientists still do not know why FAS strikes the children of some alcoholic mothers but not others, and why susceptibility varies among different ethnic groups. Native Americans, for example, are 33 times as likely as Caucasians to have a child with FAS; for blacks, the rate is 6.7 times as high as for Caucasians. Women who give birth to a child with FAS have a greater-than- average risk of bearing additional children with the affliction. Such evidence suggests there may be a genetic predisposition to FAS, but scientists have not been able to identify the offending genes.
Researchers are also trying to determine whether fathers' drinking habits play any role in FAS. At Wayne State, studies of male laboratory rodents have shown that alcohol exposure affects their sperm as well as the immune system and behavior of their offspring. "I don't think the possibility of the father's effect can be written off," says Dr. Sokol. "We're not saying the baby would have FAS, but it's possible there may be some impact on how the kid comes out."
There is no treatment for FAS, and so the only way health officials can fight the scourge is to step up educational efforts. In New Hampshire, for example, couples must read a pamphlet on FAS before they can obtain a marriage license. Beginning in November, liquor bottles will carry a cigarette-style & warning label advising women that alcohol and pregnancy do not mix. But for women who are addicted to alcohol, the need to drink often overcomes caution and reason. Until better ways are found to identify and treat alcoholics, they will continue to inflict a devastating toll on their children.
CHART: NOT AVAILABLE
CREDIT: TIME Chart by Cynthia Davis
CAPTION: THE RAVAGES OF ALCOHOL