The Experience of Siblings of Individuals with FASD
CanFASD | 7/8/2026
Research has often focused on the living experiences of individuals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) and their caregivers but there has been little research focused on the experiences of their siblings.
Attitudes and Beliefs Regarding Cannabis Use During Pregnancy Compared to Alcohol and Tobacco: a Nationwide Survey of U.S. Women of Childbearing Age
PubMed | 7/4/2026
Cannabis use is increasing, even during pregnancy. The purpose of this study was to investigate how women of childbearing age perceive the safety of cannabis use during pregnancy compared to alcohol and tobacco use.
Health Professionals' Views and Experiences of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: "If We're Not Thinking FASD, We're Not Assessing it, We're Not Diagnosing it"
PubMed | 7/2/2026
Low diagnostic rates of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder persist in the United Kingdom. This qualitative study explored clinicians' views about the FASD diagnostic process, post-diagnostic supports and disability identity formation
Neurodiversity and Intellectual Disability: Opportunities and Challenges for Functioning and Participation Across the Life Course
PubMed | 7/1/2026
There is increasing recognition that intellectual developmental disabilities are best understood through strengths, everyday functioning, and participation rather than through deficits or predicted limitations.
Kingston Author's Research Shines Light on Overlooked Siblings of People With Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
The Kingston Whig Standard | 6/26/26
“A lot of great research is often personal,” said Madeline Mantler, the primary author of a new research paper exploring the experiences of siblings of people with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.
FASD Diagnostic Capacity in the United States
FASD United | 6/23/26
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders are a group of diagnosable medical conditions that can occur in a person who was exposed to alcohol before birth. Effects are lifelong and can include mental health conditions, learning disabilities, sensory issues and physical manifestations.
Placental Pathophysiology in Maternal Psychoactive Substance Use: Biological, Clinical and Forensic Perspectives
PubMed | 6/22/26
Maternal psychoactive substance use during pregnancy represents a major threat to placental integrity and fetal development.
Addiction Alliance of Georgia Advances Addiction Care Through Hands-On Immersion Training
Emory News Center | 6/22/2026
As Georgia invests opioid settlement funds to address the continuing impact of the overdose crisis, the Addiction Alliance of Georgia is expanding hands-on addiction medicine training for health care students and professionals across the state.
Secretary Kennedy Announces Over $700 Million in New Funding to Address Mental Illness, Addiction, Homelessness
SAMHSA | 6/17/2026
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced the posting of a $96 million funding opportunity for the Safety Through Recovery, Engagement, and Evidence-based Treatment and Support (STREETS) program, along with $612 million in funding opportunities for additional behavioral health programs.
CDC: ~15 Percent of U.S. Pregnant Women Report Drinking in Past 30 Days
HealthDay | 6/16/2026
During 2021 to 2024, 15.2 percent of U.S. pregnant women reported drinking alcohol in the past 30 days, according to research published in the June 11 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Alcohol Consumption During Pregnancy Among Women Aged 18–49 Years — United States, 2021–2024
CDC | 6/11/2026
Alcohol consumption during pregnancy can increase the risk for adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes. No amount of alcohol consumption during pregnancy is known to be safe.
SAMHSA Announces $40 Million in Funding Opportunities to Prevent Addiction, and Address Child Trauma, Suicide, Mental Illness
SAMHSA | 6/11/2026
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), a division within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), today announced $40 million in funding opportunities for eight grant programs.
Alcohol Use During Pregnancy and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
American Family Physician | 6/1/2026
Alcohol use during pregnancy increases health risks for the developing baby, ranging from miscarriage and sudden infant death syndrome to preterm birth and developmental problems.
Videos from 2026 International FASD Research Conference Highlight Living Experience, Research and Advocacy
FASD United | 5/30/2026
FASD United is proud to share a collection of video recordings from the 10th International Research Conference on FASD, held in Seattle, Washington in April 2026. The videos feature self-advocates and cover a range of important topics in the FASD field presented at main plenary sessions, including the role of paternal drinking to a pregnancy, the complexity of neurodiversity and issues with getting a diagnosis.
Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and the Development of Multiple Risk Behaviors in Adolescence: A Birth Cohort Study
Wiley Online Library | 5/26/2026
The United Kingdom has the fourth highest estimated prevalence globally of maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy (41%).
Seeing More Clearly Together: Reflections from the International FASD Conference
Integrative Support & Wellness | 5/26/26
In this episode of Kitchen Table Conversations, Angela Geddes shares reflections and key takeaways from the 10th International Conference on Adolescents and Adults with FASD in Seattle.
Prenatal Substance Exposure and Birth Weight: Findings From the HEALthy Brain and Child Development Study
AAP| 5/26/2026
In this initial HBCD Study data release, more than minimal exposure to cannabis and opioids was associated with smaller birth size, adding evidence to an inconsistent literature.
Associations Between Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and Parent-Reported Sleep Disturbances in 10,336 Adolescents: An Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study
PubMed | 5/21/26
This study investigated the associations between prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE), including low and moderate levels of exposure, and parent-reported sleep disturbances during adolescence.
Prevalence of Multivitamin/Folic Acid Intake, Diabetes, and Other Risk Factors for Birth Defects Among Women in the United States, Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System, 2017–2022
Wiley Online Library | 5/14/26
Birth defects can cause significant morbidity and mortality. We examined the prevalence of maternal characteristics and risk factors associated with birth defects and examined their associations with pre-pregnancy multivitamin/folic acid (MVF) intake and diabetes.
Alcohol Use During Pregnancy and Public Awareness of Harms: Findings From the CAMH Monitor Survey, Ontario, Canada
PubMed | 513/26
Alcohol use during pregnancy and breastfeeding can have adverse consequences for child development, including fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
New Resource Uses Puppets to Teach About FASD
CanFASD | 5/13/26
We’re excited to share a unique, child-friendly way to learn about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) – through puppets!
Dr. Claire Coles Attends ICCFASD Annual Meeting
Emory | 5/13/2026
Last week, Dr. Claire Coles presented at the Annual Public Meeting of the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (ICCFASD) in Washington, DC.
Navigating Complexity: A Retrospective Review of Pre-Diagnostic Healthcare Trajectories of Youth Diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
Springer Nature Link | 5/11/2026
Experts highlight the urgent need to increase clinical capacity for the early diagnosis and treatment of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.
CALL TO ACTION: Submit Testimony to the US Senate in Support of Increased FASD Funding by May 22
FASD United Policy and Training Center | 5/8/2026
The incredible advocacy of the FASD community got the FASD Respect Act passed in 2025, but passing a law and funding its programs are two different things
2026 Public Meeting of the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
NIH | 5/7/2026
The Annual Public Meeting of the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders is open to the public.
Prenatal Alcohol Use and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs): What Healthcare Professionals Need to Know
Medical Assistant Partnership for Healthy Pregnancies and Families | May 4
Listeners will explore PAE and FASDs from early childhood through adulthood, highlighting why these conditions must be recognized, addressed, and supported across systems and throughout the lifespan.
Alcohol and pregnancy: Benefits and harms of pregnancy-specific alcohol policies among maternal-infant dyads covered by Medicaid
PubMed | May 1
Previous research finds pregnancy-specific alcohol policies are associated with adverse infant/maternal outcomes among people covered by commercial insurance.
Cannabis Use During Pregnancy and Effect on Maternal and Fetal Health Outcomes: A Retrospective Chart Review
ACOG | 5/1/2026
This study evaluates the association between prenatal cannabis use and maternal and fetal health outcomes through a detailed retrospective chart review.
Preventing Alcohol Use During Pregnancy is a Policy Problem, Not a Personal Failure
Healthy Debate | 4/29/2026
Prevention efforts – which focus on individual behavior change, including those that help women to reduce or stop drinking during pregnancy – are necessary, yet policy that shapes alcohol use long before pregnancy begins, also needs action.
What Last Week’s Health Hearings Revealed by Leaving FASD Out
FASD United Policy and Training Center | 4/27/2026
Last week’s congressional hearings on U.S. health policy covered familiar ground: outbreaks of preventable diseases, drug pricing, and proposed cuts to the Department of Health and Human Services
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder in Education: Knowledge, Awareness, and Perceptions of County Office of Education Teachers
University of the Pacific | 4/22/2026
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder is a complex neurodevelopmental condition that affects learning, memory, emotional regulation and social functioning.
Beyond Single Use: The Combined Effect of Alcohol and Tobacco Use on Depression Among Pregnant Women
East Tennessee State University | 4/15/2026
Depression remains a pervasive mental health challenge during pregnancy, affecting approximately 25% of expectant mothers worldwide.
Response Style of Caregivers and Educators Who Support Children and Adolescents with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure: An Examination of Questionnaire Validity Scales
Springer Nature Link | 4/9/2026
An important component of a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder diagnostic assessment requires a child’s caregiver and educator (i.e., informants) to complete questionnaires to describe functioning across settings.
The Relationship Between Alcohol-Related Content on Social Media and Alcohol Outcomes in Young Adults: A Scoping Review
Alcohol Research Current Reviews | 3/27/2026
Alcohol-related content is pervasive across social media. Existing research suggests that posting of and exposure to such content may affect young adults' drinking and alcohol-related problems.
Association of Polysubstance Exposure and Neonatal Weight Loss Among Infants Exposed to Opioids
PubMed | 3/20/2026
To characterize the weight trajectories of infants exposed to opioids and evaluate the association between different exposures and risk of excessive neonatal weight loss.
A National Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Learning Collaborative for Pediatric Care Teams
PubMed | 3/4/2026
To assess the impact of the SBIRT And FASD Education, Support and Treatment Choice Learning Collaborative on US pediatric health care teams' knowledge, confidence and clinical practices related to the identification and management of children with possible or diagnosed fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.
Creating a Family Launches Prenatal Substance Exposure Training
Creating a Family | 2/4/2026
Creating a Family offers evidence-based, trauma-informed workshops and training for foster, adoptive, and kinship parents and professionals to understand and learn strategies to support children exposed prenatally to alcohol and drugs.
American Academy of Pediatrics Virtual Learning Collaborative on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
American Academy of Pediatrics | 2/1/2026
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) program is launching a Virtual Learning Collaborative (VLC) funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
State Mapping Tool Now Available
FASD United Policy and Training Center | 1/28/2026
This tool is a Google Sheet meant to help state advocates and coalitions organize outreach to state agencies, track interactions, and turn one-time emails into relations that will support FASD-informed systems.
Caregiver-Reported Evaluation for and Diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders in the United States
ScienceDirect | 1/28/2026
In-person, active case ascertainment studies suggest the prevalence of children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs), lifelong disorders caused by prenatal alcohol exposure, in selected communities ranges from 11.3 to 71.4 per 1000.
Foster Care Status and the Timing of Diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome in a Medicaid Sample
PubMed | 1/23/2026
Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is frequently undiagnosed or misdiagnosed, particularly among populations at elevated risk of the condition.
Prenatal Exposure to Low Alcohol and Alcohol Motivation in the Offspring
Springer Nature Link | 1/2/2026
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE), even at low doses, has been linked to long-term alterations in alcohol-related behaviors, particularly increased alcohol consumption and preference in offspring.