alcohol-related birth defect


alcohol-related birth defect

Any birth defect related to alcohol consumption—e.g., prenatal or postnatal growth retardation, facial dysmorphia (thin upper lip, poorly-developed philtrum, short nose, and small eye openings), CNS defects with mental retardation. When multiple ARBDs are present, the term “fetal alcohol syndrome” is used.

alcohol-related birth defect

A congenital abnormality that reflects the teratogenic effects of maternal alcohol use on developing fetal structures. The most common abnormalities involve the heart, eyes, kidneys, and skeleton. See: fetal alcohol effects; fetal alcohol syndromeSee also: defect