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Effects of Maternal Alcoholism on Placental Function and Lung Fetal Development

Cleofina Bosco and Eugenia Díaz

Epidemiological and clinical data indicate that alcohol consumption during pregnancy remains a substantial public-health problem as many pregnant women continue to drink alcohol despite clinical recommendations and public health campaigns warning about the risks associated. It is well known that maternal ethanol consumption during pregnancy results in deleterious effects on the developing fetus. Among these effects is the so called Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is a severe form of FASD and also an irreversible condition. Although all children born to alcoholic mothers show abnormalities, in some cases these may not be clearly observable. There is a wide spectrum of abnormalities regardless of the amount and pattern of alcohol exposure, differences in maternal, foetal and placental metabolism of ethanol/acetaldehyde, as well as genetic factors. In this article we present some of the effects of maternal alcoholism on placental functions and how it affects lung development