Study Estimates 630K Infants With Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Born Globally Each Year

One of every 13 women worldwide who consumed alcohol during pregnancy is estimated to have had a child with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), according to astudy published today inJAMA Pediatrics. Based on these global estimates, some 630,000 infants with FASD are born each year.The analysis also revealed FASD is notably more frequent among aboriginal populations, children in foster care and residing in orphanages, incarcerated populations, and those in psychiatric care.“The higher prevalence emphasizes that these high-risk populations deserve special attention for the planning and organization of targeted screening strategies, improved access to diagnostic services, and prevention of maternal alcohol consumption,” wrote senior author Svetlana Popova, Ph.D., of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto and colleagues.Popova and colleagues first conducted a meta-analysis of 24 separate studies that assessed FASD rates; these studies included over 1,400 children with FASD in eight countries: Australia, Canada, Croatia, France, Italy, Norway, South Africa, and the United States. They then used available global data on alcohol consumption rates by women to predict FASD prevalence in the remaining countries.The global prevalence of FASD was estimated to be around 7.7 per 1,000 children, while the prevalence in the United States was higher at 15.2 per 1,000 children. South Africa had the highest individual country prevalence of FASD at 111.1 per 1,000 children...
Source: Psychiatr News - Category: Psychiatry Tags: alcohol children FASD fetal alcohol spectrum disorder JAMA Pediatrics Source Type: research