UQ research aims to improve fetal alcohol spectrum disorder diagnosis

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder can be difficult to diagnose, but University of Queensland researchers have established the most scientific approach to detecting the disorder.

A research team led by Dr Natasha Reid from UQ’s Child Health Research Centre reviewed more than 300 studies to understand the link between prenatal alcohol exposure and possible signs of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD).

“We know FASD is a significant public health concern across the globe, but there isn’t an internationally agreed set of criteria to diagnose it,” Dr Reid said.

“Our study looked at the key features currently used in diagnosing FASD including physical size, facial features, and neurological and behavioural outcomes, and how these related to prenatal alcohol exposure.

“We found the risk of FASD increases the higher the level of prenatal alcohol exposure.”

Prenatal alcohol exposure is common in more than 76 countries and can lead to pregnancy complications such as miscarriage, stillbirth and preterm delivery, as well as a wide range of developmental and behavioural challenges for children.

“The findings of this research support the Australian guidelines that state there is no safe level of alcohol consumption for people who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy,” Dr Reid said.

“But it is also important to acknowledge that people may have consumed alcohol before they knew they were pregnant.

“While there is the potential for adverse effects from lower levels of prenatal alcohol exposure, this research does not support diagnosis of FASD at low levels.”

Dr Reid’s team has been undertaking a 4-year project to develop new national clinical practice guidelines for the assessment and diagnosis of FASD in Australia, which are expected to be released early next year.

“As a society with a strong drinking culture, we need to continue to raise awareness about the risks of prenatal alcohol exposure and provide safe and accessible supports,” Dr Reid said.

“To ensure accurate diagnosis of FASD and to have the most effective public health messages we need to take different approaches to tackling each of these complex issues.

“More long-term cohort studies are needed to better understand prenatal exposure to alcohol  and other drugs, and more services are needed to support women and their families around substance use.”

The research is funded by the Department of Health and Aged Care and published in BMC Medicine.

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