The harmful consequences of alcoholism for the unborn child are still largely unknown. This book presents a detailed description of fetal alcohol syndrome as well as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders with respect to their clinical presentation, diagnosis, epidemiology, and pathogenesis. It also includes detailed considerations of underlying psychopathology, prevention, and therapy as well as the social consequences and impacts to patients.

This authoritative 1996 publication was the first to review comprehensively the important relationship between maternal alcohol abuse during pregnancy and the resulting in utero damage to the child, and the results of this damage during the development of affected children. It includes important contributions by leading and internationally acclaimed clinicians and researchers. The first part of the book discusses clinical issues of alcohol teratogenicity, the clinical picture of fetal alcohol syndrome, and the epidemiology of maternal alcohol abuse and the developmental outcome of the children. The second part addresses pathogenesis and neuropathology, whilst part three reviews developmental issues in the growing child. The final part evaluates approaches to rehabilitation and intervention, and reviews social and public health issues. This comprehensive account will be of interest to gynaecologists, obstetricians, midwives, neonatologists and paediatricians, and for child and adolescent psychiatrists and psychologists.