To educate Members of the United States House of Representatives on
issues relevant to preventing fetal alcohol spectrum disorders and
increasing the quality of life for those currently living with these
debilitating birth defects.
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD)
are some of our nation’s most detrimental
birth defects, with an incidence rate of approximately 1 in 100 live births. They
are the direct result of alcohol consumption during pregnancy, and the leading
known cause of mental retardation. FASD are constituted by effects on the
neural constitution of an individual along with a host of ensuing brain malformations
that lead to behavioral dysfunctions such as attention-deficit, depression, and
learning disabilities. FASD are completely preventable if a woman abstains
from alcohol during pregnancy, making it imperative that outreach and education
are undertaken as part of an ambitious prevention campaign.
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