Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Prevention Team, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) are among the leading preventable causes of developmental disorders in the United States; however, recognition and prevention of these conditions cannot be achieved without informed and educated health providers. This commentary addresses the importance of recognition and prevention of FASDs through the use of well-established standardized practices of diagnosis, screening, and brief alcohol reduction counseling. It is hoped that more knowledge on currently available procedures will encourage their use in the provision of routine health care to all women of childbearing age.