EUFASD - **The call for papers is open (until January 19, 2026) **Authors are invited to submit abstracts to be considered for the 8th European Conference on FASD. All submissions must be made electronically via the submission form on the congress home page. https://eufasd2026.com/call-of-paper.html Australian Broadcasting Corporation - **Thousands of alcohol products still without 'mandatory' pregnancy warnings, study finds **Amanda was four months pregnant before she realised she was expecting a baby. The Gold Coast mum-to-be had been drinking a couple of glasses of wine each night, but her doctor brushed off her concerns. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-01-10/mums-drank-pregnancy-alcohol-warning-labels/106154908 NorthernIrelandWorld (Northern Ireland) - **Alison McNamara: tribute to Kinallen resident who was 'driving force' behind FASD charity **Councillor Tim McClelland paid tribute to Alison McNamara, a Kinallen lady and the founder of charity ‘FASD Awareness NI’, at Monday night’s (December 15) ABC Council meeting. https://www.northernirelandworld.com/news/people/alison-mcnamara-tribute-to-kinallen-resident-who-was-driving-force-behind-fasd-charity-5445910 BBC (UK) - **Hundreds tell BBC of adopted children's struggles amid calls for lifelong support **Hundreds of parents have contacted the BBC about their struggles with getting support for adopted children - as charities call for a government review. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjrj0vxnxqjo Le Monde (France) - **When the damage caused by alcohol begins in utero **Drinking alcoholic beverages during pregnancy can trigger more or less severe neurodevelopmental and growth disorders. Recent studies also show that fathers' alcohol consumption prior to conception may play a harmful role as well. https://www.lemonde.fr/en/science/article/2026/01/10/when-the-damage-caused-by-alcohol-begins-in-utero_6749290_10.html Bright Futures (USA) - **How Common Is Fetal Alcohol Syndrome in the U.S. **Fetal Alcohol Syndrome in the U.S. falls under a broader category known as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), which includes partial FAS and alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder (ARND). https://brightfuturestreatmentnj.com/how-common-is-fetal-alcohol-syndrome-in-the-u-s/ CanFASD (Canada) - **2025 Year in Review **As we wrap up 2025, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the progress and impact CanFASD has made over the past year. From hosting webinars, to publishing research to launching a new fund, we’ve worked hard to bring important information about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) to our community and beyond. https://canfasd.ca/2025/12/31/2025-year-in-review/ CanFASD - **“Research has real consequences in people’s lives”: An Interview with Shannon Butt **Last October, Shannon Butt attended the Canada FASD Conference as a supported participant through the Lived Experience Leadership Fund. In this interview, she shares why the experience was so meaningful – and why supporting lived experience matters. https://canfasd.ca/2026/01/07/research-has-real-consequences-in-peoples-lives-an-interview-with-shannon-butt/ VIDEOS FASDSUCCESS - **FASD in Adults: New Research Reveals Aging Brain Changes **In this episode of The FASD Success Show, Jeff Noble sits down with Dr. Valerie Temple to talk about brand-new Canadian research exploring how the FASD brain and body change with age — and what families, caregivers, and professionals need to know to support lifelong success. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZpjr6YGxH8 FASDSUCCESS - **FASD in Adulthood: Joseph Munn on Life After Diagnosis **Joseph shares what it felt like to finally understand his brain, how interdependence and technology help him stay regulated, and what community really means in adulthood. From gaming and advocacy to the one-dollar house that changed his life, Joseph’s story shows that success isn’t about doing it all — it’s about doing what works. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dje8jBFUsG8 Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Trust - **What happens during an FASD assessment at the national clinic? **Hear from Alexandra Carlisle, Consultant Clinical Psychologist and FASD Clinic Lead who explains what typically happens at an FASD assessment at the national clinic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZUk2SmwAqc CoramBAAF - **Exploring Expertise FASD - Practical tools and national insights **In this participatory session, we will be hearing from NationalFASD on the impact of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and some of the strategies in working with children from this group. We will also be exploring some of the national picture around FASD as well as the importance of its diagnosis and support plans for care leavers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ip3dJ3k3tw Health Nexus Santé - **FASD and Relationships **In this webinar, we’ll hear directly from two individuals with FASD, Reinier and RJ, along with their partners, as they share their personal journeys of building and sustaining relationships. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQD_6XoG1f8 UQ Health, Medicine and Behavioural Sciences - **Professionals Webinar: Using AI to interpret the Australian FASD Guidelines **The Australian FASD Guidelines are a comprehensive and detailed resource; however, in practice, professionals often need to locate relevant information quickly and translate it into clear, usable guidance. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78Rw0rMMIV4 SoVD-Landesverband Niedersachsen e.V. - **Invisibly disabled, visibly alone:****​​ FASD in everyday life **In this episode, we tell the story of Mira, who suffers from Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FASD). Her case illustrates how alcohol consumption during pregnancy can have long-term consequences—and how inadequate support often leads to problems. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXRKJd7qxIA Patricia Kasper, Your FASD Coach - **Reflexology with Dr. Lyelle Palmer **In this captivating episode of Living with FASD, host Patti Kasper is joined by Dr. Lyelle Palmer, a leading researcher in the field of primitive reflexes and their neurological implications for individuals with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3G2ORB-aSg Perfectly Imperfect - **Basic on FASD-Dental issues **Today I talk about FASD and dental issues specifically something called enamel hypoplasia. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFZa5DOZU2k FASD Florida Center - **FASD Collective - Shifts that Work Caregiver tips **Our FASD Collective caregivers talk a little bit about our tips for caregivers to see little shifts that help us shift our world into a place that supports us and our needs, especially when we are in the trenches. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcCxpdzkBLA RESEARCH Current Problems in Pediatric and Adolescent Health Care - **Utility of facial imaging and machine learning in the evaluation of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders** In this article, we will review how investigators have attempted to apply technological innovations to enhance our knowledge of FASD and to fill some of the gaps that exist regarding access to experienced diagnosticians. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1538544225001877 Reproductive Toxicology - **MicroRNAs in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: A Systematic Review of Prenatal Exposure and Molecular Targets **Despite substantial heterogeneity in experimental designs—including differences in model systems, species, dosing regimens, and exposure durations—several microRNAs (miR‑9, miR‑335, miR‑15b, miR‑34a, let‑7i, miR‑200a, and miR‑326) consistently emerge as key regulators implicated in the pathophysiology of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0890623826000067 The Hippocampus - Cognitive Functions and Disorders - **Fetal Alcohol Exposure and Hippocampal Dysfunction in the Vervet Monkey **Exposure to ethanol in utero is recognized as a leading cause of preventable developmental disorder. Children with fetal alcohol syndrome disorders (FASD) display behavioral and intellectual impairments that strongly implicate the hippocampus, an area essential for learning and memory. https://www.intechopen.com/online-first/1207072 Scientific Reports - **Cognitive and transcriptomic effects of Epigallocatechin gallate in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders **This study highlights EGCG as a potential therapeutic candidate to ameliorate cognitive and behavioral deficits in children affected by FASD, revealing potential pathways and biomarkers that contribute to these improvements. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-34576-1 Molecular Mechanisms and Lifelong Consequences of Prenatal Exposure to Psychoactive Substances - **Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and Mitochondrial Function in the Brain **Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is recognized as a leading preventable cause of birth defects, giving rise to a continuum of cognitive, behavioral, and physical impairments collectively referred to as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-032-12741-9_8 Genes - **Evaluation of Choline Metabolic Genes in the Liver of the Dam as Candidates for Mediating Choline’s Efficacy in Mitigating Ethanol-Induced Cell Death in the Neural Tube: A Preliminary Analysis **Genetic differences in maternal choline metabolism are present and may underlie variable therapeutic responses to choline, warranting a hypothesis that requires further investigation across animal models and human populations. https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4425/17/1/42 Uniwersytet Komisji Edukacji Narodowej w Krakowie - **Logopedic diagnosis in the context of Polish standards of diagnosis and therapy of a child with FASD **Starting from basic data on the spectrum of disorders following prenatal alcohol exposure (FASD), the author presents diagnostic criteria and categories, then presents the models of diagnosis proposed in medical standards https://studialogopaedica.uken.krakow.pl/article/view/12509https://studialogopaedica.uken.krakow.pl/article/view/12509 Clinical Pediatric Endocrinology - **Growth hormone therapy in a patient with short stature due to fetal alcohol syndrome: seven-year follow-up **No adverse effects were observed. While GH therapy appears safe in FAS patients, its efficacy for improving linear growth is limited, suggesting that growth impairment in FAS involves mechanisms beyond GH deficiency, including growth plate dysfunction and peripheral GH resistance. https://cir.nii.ac.jp/crid/1390588147234132736 Preprints - **Estimation of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure: Comparison of Retrospective Survey and Measurement of Fatty Acid Ethyl Esters, Ethyl Sulfate and Ethyl Glucuronide Concentrations in Neonatal Meconium **Determining the concentration of fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs), ethyl sulfate (EtS), and ethyl glucuronide (EtG) is crucial for establishing the actual scale of prenatal alcohol ex-posure (PAE) and the early diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). https://www.preprints.org/manuscript/202512.1532 Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Archives of Pharmacology - **Alcohol exposure during pregnancy and its impact on fetal neurodevelopment: a bibliometric and scientific mapping analysi **The evaluated studies reported that there are no safe doses of alcohol exposure during pregnancy or by women trying to get pregnant, that the effects of alcohol intake are proportional to the dose and modality of exposure, that these damages occur in different brain regions, and that these effects are related to the period of neurodevelopment. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00210-025-04860-y Paediatrics & Child Health - **119 Teacher-reported prevalence of FASD in kindergarten and its associations with home problems and early intervention in 2010-2020 **Furthermore, the higher likelihood for children with FASD of experiencing home problems, and their lower likelihood of having received an early intervention, as reported by their teacher, highlight the need for family-centered supports and for identifying these children at an earlier age so they can access services sooner, both of which could help encourage healthy development for children with FASD and other NDDs. https://academic.oup.com/pch/article/30/Supplement_2/pxaf116.119/8379298 Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research - **Levels and patterns of prenatal alcohol exposure associated with increased risk of a clinically meaningful adverse effect on cognitive function **Given that the cognitive and behavioral deficits seen in FASD resemble those also seen in a range of other disorders, whether the patient's PAE is sufficient to increase the risk of clinically meaningful impairment is a critical element in an FASD diagnosis. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/acer.70208 Frontiers in Psychiatry - **Factors Associated with Reduced Substance Use and Treatment Completion Among Justice-Involved Pregnant Women **Findings suggest that substance type may be an important consideration for treatment planning. Examining substance-specific factors that facilitate positive treatment outcomes is a practical next step for future studies. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1700103/abstract Womens Health Nurs - **The impact of a brief web-based intervention on improving awareness of the need to reduce alcohol consumption during pregnancy among high-risk female college student drinkers: a quasi-experimental study **The brief web-based intervention significantly improved attitudes toward drinking during pregnancy, intentions to abstain from drinking during pregnancy, and drinking refusal self-efficacy, highlighting both the effectiveness and importance of this intervention. https://synapse.koreamed.org/articles/1516094118 Salud Mental - **Separate or Concomitant Use of Alcohol and Tobacco during Pregnancy: Prevalence and Associated Factors **The results highlight the need for implementing strategic programs for the prevention and control of alcohol and tobacco use during pregnancy, considering the identified risk factors. Raising awareness among healthcare professionals and creating targeted public policies are essential for promoting healthy pregnancy and ensuring maternal-child well-being. http://187.217.60.235/index.php/salud_mental/article/view/SM.0185-3325.2025.033 Public Health in Practice - **Fifty shades of pregnancy warning labels on wine bottles: An observational study in France **The findings highlight the limitations of relying solely on general principles like visibility and legibility in health warning legislation. Effective implementation requires clear, detailed, and enforceable regulatory standards. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666535225001338 IN OTHER LANGUAGES Gmina Kościan (Poland) - **Kampanii profilaktyki FASD „Ciąża bez alkoholu” na rok 2025/2026 **Gminna Komisja Rozwiązywania Problemów Alkoholowych w Kościanie w ramach włączenia się do ogólnopolskiej bezpłatnej kampanii profilaktyki FASD „Ciąża bez alkoholu” na rok 2025/2026! przekazuje Państwu artykuł ekspercki psychologa i głównego diagnosty FASD Point Pani Sylwii Ściegienko, w którym przedstawia w jaki sposób pracować z dziećmi z FASD. https://gminakoscian.pl/7246-2/ FASPortalen (Sweden) - **Skandinaviska utblickar under Fokus FAS **Fokus FAS i Uppsala 11-12 november 2025 fick besök från både Norge och Finland. I Norge finns Nordens enda kompetenscenter för barn och unga som har exponerats för alkohol och droger under fostertiden. https://www.fasportalen.se/nyheter/aktuellt/skandinaviska-utblickar-under-fokus-fas/