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Use of Alcohol during Pregnancy in France: Another French Paradox? 

In this review, after a short history of FAS/FASD, we compiled data concerning incidence, social cost, national health policy and organization of research in FAS/ FASD field. We deliberately emphasize the situation in France as our working team is based in this country and we choose to document this review with available data from some official internet sites.

Olivier Pierrefiche*, Martine Daoust and Mickael Naassila

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A report expresses the official position of the Academy of Medicine

Since the release of a statement by the National Academy of Medicine in 2004, significant progress has been made in the fields of epidemiology, understanding of alcohol toxicity on brain mechanisms as well as on clinical and laboratory detection methods of alcohol poisoning.

The gravity of the condition passed on the unborn child calls for collective awareness. Strict supervision measures are required and include :

• Information by the media, of all actors involved, starting with pregnant women themselves, but also adolescents, women of childbearing age and the general public;

• Training of all health professionals involved with pregnancy, delivery and children, as well as teachers;

• Prevention targeting on changing the logo on liquor bottles, planning and monitoring of pregnancy, the use of a self-administered questionnaire and modern biomarkers for the detection of poisoning

These guidelines are subject to recommendations concluded by a single watchword : zero tolerance for alcohol during pregnancy.

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FASD an Approach to effective prevention

The objective of the current contribution is to propose an evidence-based, six-step approach to develop effective programs for prevention of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Recent Findings Despite widespread campaigns aimed to reduce prenatal alcohol exposure, the number of affected children continues to be high. Current strategies to reduce prenatal alcohol exposure may be ineffective or counterproductive. However, proven principles of health promotion could be applied to reduce drinking in pregnancy. One such approach is Intervention Mapping (IM), a six-step procedure based on proven principles to change behaviors.

FASD affects all communities and is an underestimated problem worldwide. Programs based on proven principles of behavior change are warranted. Program developers can use pre-existing protocols and strategies from evidence-based practice, such as Intervention Mapping.
Developers who plan their preventive programs in a systematic and evidence-based manner increase the chances of success in reducing prenatal alcohol exposure and FASD.

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