A pregnant woman's lifestyle ultimately affects the development of her baby. Excessive exposure to alcohol during pregnancy can cause serious and permanent physical and mental damage to the baby. When a pregnant woman drinks alcohol, she makes her baby drink too. By knowing how fetal alcohol syndrome can be prevented, what the symptoms are, and who and what constitutes the risk factors for fetal alcohol syndrome, you can better understand. The National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome states that “Fetal alcohol syndrome is the name given to a group of physical and mental birth defects that are the direct result of a woman's consumption of alcohol during pregnancy” (NOFAS 1). Fetal alcohol syndrome is the only disease that is one hundred percent preventable if the mother abstains from drinking during pregnancy. It is not recommended to drink alcohol during pregnancy. There is no way to measure how much alcohol you can consume before defects occur, and there is no evidence that small amounts of liquor are safe. Even just one drink a day can cause harm to the child and interfere with his normal development. The more the mother drinks, the greater the risk of harm to the baby. "The syndrome occurs in between five and three live births per thousand in Western countries... It is estimated that between thirty and forty percent of all women who drink heavily during pregnancy will have a baby with the syndrome fetal alcohol... Fetal alcohol syndrome surpasses Down syndrome is prevalent and is the main case of mental retardation" (Britanica 1). Once damage has been done, it cannot be repaired. Children born with fetal alcohol syndrome suffer from lifelong symptoms. Without a doubt the simplest way is... middle of paper... sensitive to the effects of alcohol as it tries to get its nutrients from the liquor. The dangers of fetal alcohol syndrome are entirely preventable if the pregnant mother abstains from drinking alcohol during pregnancy. There is no known cure for fetal alcohol syndrome. The series of physical and mental defects that make up this syndrome are irreversible. Fetal alcohol syndrome is the only cause of birth defects that is 100% preventable. It is not recommended to drink any amount of alcohol during pregnancy. Through education and intervention these defects can be eliminated. Knowing who is at risk and how to prevent it is the first step. It is everyone's responsibility to encourage friends and family not to drink during pregnancy. Nine months of alcohol consumption by the mother can cause irreversible damage for the child's life.