Prevalence
Courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
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| Studies by the CDC have reported FAS incidence rates from 0.2 to 1.5 cases per 1,000 births across various populations. Other studies reflecting a variety of ascertainment methodologies have produced estimates ranging from 0.5 to 2.0 cases per 1,000 live births. Such rates are comparable to or higher than rates for other common development disabilities such as Down syndrome and Spina Bifida. Using the CDC estimates, among the approximately 4 million infants born each year, an estimated 1,000 to 6,000 are born with FAS. Studies of particularly vulnerable populations yield prevalence estimates that far exceed those of other common disabilities. Among disadvantaged groups, Native Americans, and other minorities, prevalence rates as high as three to five FAS-affected children per 1,000 children have been doceumented. Available data also suggest that poverty is strongly associated with women’s alcohol use before and during pregnancy, leading to a disproportionate burden of children with FAS in impoverished groups. |