Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Awareness Month occurs annually each September. This month, we are sharing important resources and information for LHDs to promote substance-free pregnancies, prevent FASDs, and support local communities in your work. To view the 2026 FASD Awareness Month recorded webinar, click here.
Information to Share with Your Communities
What Are FASDs?
FASDs are a range of disabilities (including behavioral, intellectual, and physical) that can happen when a baby is exposed to alcohol before birth. This can affect how they grow and develop, think and learn, and their behaviors. Sometimes we can see physical effects of FASDs, but most changes happen inside the brain and cause difficulty with learning, reasoning, and behavior throughout life.
Reasons for Drinking During Pregnancy
You might wonder why someone would drink alcohol during pregnancy. There are many reasons, and it’s not because they want to harm their baby.
Someone may drink during pregnancy because they:
Do not know they are pregnant.
Receive conflicting or unclear information about the safety of drinking during pregnancy.
Use alcohol to cope with trauma, abuse, or stress.
Have little support from a partner, loved ones, friends, or others to stop drinking.
Have an alcohol use disorder and need help to stop drinking.
Experience mental health challenges.
Face difficult life circumstances with housing, money, or jobs.
Preventing FASDs
FASDs are preventable with the right information and support. If a baby is not exposed to alcohol before birth, they won’t have an FASD.
It’s important to know that almost half of pregnancies in the U.S. aren’t planned. That means a baby could be affected by alcohol before someone knows they’re pregnant.
We encourage you to share these messages with your community:
There is no known safe amount, no safe time, and no safe type of alcohol during pregnancy.
It’s never too late to stop drinking. Stopping at any point during pregnancy can benefit the baby’s health.
If you’re pregnant or think you might be pregnant, you may have questions about alcohol. Talk with a healthcare professional if you have questions or need support.
Taking Action in Your Community
We all play a part in preventing FASDs, and we have learned so much about the risks of alcohol use during pregnancy over the years. As a community, we can work together to prevent FASDs by talking about alcohol use during pregnancy, connecting pregnant people to resources, and encouraging supportive relationships.
If someone needs support to stop drinking, help is available 24/7 at findtreatment.gov. In a crisis or need of immediate support, call or text 988.
Tools and Resources for LHDs
The Center for Health and Safety Culture at Montana State University, in collaboration with NACCHO, recorded a webinar for 2026 FASD Awareness Month titled “Promoting Substance-Free Pregnancies: Tools and Resources for Impact.”
Local health departments can promote substance-free pregnancies with easy, no-cost tools. This webinar provides an overview of substance use during pregnancy, with a particular focus on alcohol. We then provide information on fetal alcohol spectrum disorders and share a video that features lived experiences with prenatal alcohol and other substance exposure and FASDs. The webinar covers opportunities for local health departments to promote substance-free pregnancies and highlights tools and resources that can support your work. Watch the webinar here.
To access the project’s tools and resources, click here.
FASD Diagnosis and Support
Getting help early can make a big difference. There are nonjudgmental services to help kids and families. If you’re concerned a child might have been exposed to alcohol before birth:
Encourage families to talk to their pediatrician or other healthcare professional about their concerns.
Encourage families to call your state’s early intervention program (under age 3) or their local public school (age 3 and up) for a free evaluation (no doctor referral needed).
Refer them to FASD United’s Family Navigator or the National and State Resource Directory to find support.
With the right support and services, people with FASDs can do well in life. Early support, caring communities, and the right resources make all the difference.
For more information or support, visit:
