"Stop and think. If you're pregnant, don't drink."

Welcome

Welcome to the SAMHSA Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Center for Excellence Web site. The FASD Center is a Federal initiative devoted to preventing and treating FASD. This Web site provides information and resources about FASD. We also provide materials you can use to raise awareness about FASD. Additionally, The Center is dedicated to providing training, technical assistance, and conference/event speakers.

What is FASD

FASD is an umbrella term describing the range of effects that can occur in an individual whose mother drank alcohol during pregnancy. These effects may include physical, mental, behavioral, and/or learning disabilities with possible lifelong implications.

The term FASD

The term FASD is not intended for use as a clinical diagnosis. It refers to conditions such as fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), fetal alcohol effects (FAE), alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder (ARND), and alcohol-related birth defects (ARBD). Each year, as many as 40,000 babies are born with an FASD. The cost to the nation for FAS alone is about $6 billion a year.