Various congenital disorders in a newborn caused by heavy drinking of alcohol by the mother around conception or during pregnancy.
The main symptoms are retarded growth, central- nervous-system abnormalities, and certain face and head abnormalities. The child may be mentally retarded. Behavioral problems (e.g., poor concentration, impulsiveness) are sometimes the only obvious symptoms. The syndrome is common in babies born to chronic alcoholics, but even moderate alcohol consumption during pregnancy may cause mild symptoms. Other disorders have been linked to alcohol in breast milk.