Impact of fetal alcohol exposure on body systems: A systematic review.
Review of published manuscripts on fetal alcohol exposure on several body systems.


METHODS
Articles in this review were found online using databases such as Medline, Medline Complete, PubMed, and Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition. The following terms were searched: fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, fetal alcohol syndrome, prenatal alcohol exposure, and alcohol related birth defects.


RESULTS
Thirteen articles were gathered, five original investigations and eight reviews. This review identified several abnormalities in the body systems discussed and their associations to fetal alcohol syndrome.


CONCLUSIONS
Evidence shows that the brain was the most severely impacted organ of the body systems discussed. However, prenatal alcohol exposure causes several abnormalities within the heart, kidney, liver, gastrointestinal tract, and the endocrine systems. In addition, preventative measures need to be taken by mothers during pregnancy. Birth Defects Research (Part C), 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Birth Defects Research (Part C) 108:174-180, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Natural Sciences Division, Biology Department, Franklin Pierce University, 40 University Dr., Rindge, NH, 03461.
Courtney
C
Caputo
Natural Sciences Division, Biology Department, Franklin Pierce University, 40 University Dr., Rindge, NH, 03461.
Erin
E
Wood
Natural Sciences Division, Biology Department, Franklin Pierce University, 40 University Dr., Rindge, NH, 03461.
Leila
L
Jabbour
D000015:Abnormalities, Multiple; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000503:physiopathology; D001921:Brain / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000187:drug effects; D000431:Ethanol / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D063647:Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D047109:Fetal Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D005333:Fetus; D018594:Human Body; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000139:chemically induced*
D000431:Ethanol
alcohol-related birth defects; fetal alcohol spectrum disorders; fetal alcohol syndrome; prenatal alcohol exposure