The Need for Educational Reform Concerning the Paternal Role in FASD Pathogenesis

Abstract

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) is an umbrella term for a group of neurodevelopmental impairments caused by prenatal alcohol exposure. FASD pathogenesis often implicates the mother, largely focused on maternal alcohol consumption prior to or during pregnancy. As such, most FASD interventions are geared towards the mother. However, an array of risk factors within the family environment, notably paternal alcohol consumption and attitudes toward maternal consumption during pregnancy, can impact FASD development in the offspring. This paper sheds light on the paternal role in FASD pathogenesis that is rarely discussed and promotes the importance of family-centred interventions. FASD is a preventable disorder: prophylactic measures such as increasing the information and educational resources to reach a larger population could greatly reduce the risk and incidence of FASD.