National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

Not a rare disease Not a rare disease
Other Names:
FASD; Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) - type; Alcohol-Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder (ARND) - type; FASD; Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) - type; Alcohol-Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder (ARND) - type; Alcohol-Related Birth Defects (ARBD) - type See More

Research helps us better understand diseases and can lead to advances in diagnosis and treatment. This section provides resources to help you learn about medical research and ways to get involved.

Clinical Research Resources

  • ClinicalTrials.gov lists trials that are related to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. Click on the link to go to ClinicalTrials.gov to read descriptions of these studies.

    Please note: Studies listed on the ClinicalTrials.gov website are listed for informational purposes only; being listed does not reflect an endorsement by GARD or the NIH. We strongly recommend that you talk with a trusted healthcare provider before choosing to participate in any clinical study.

Support and advocacy groups can help you connect with other patients and families, and they can provide valuable services. Many develop patient-centered information and are the driving force behind research for better treatments and possible cures. They can direct you to research, resources, and services. Many organizations also have experts who serve as medical advisors or provide lists of doctors/clinics. Visit the group’s website or contact them to learn about the services they offer. Inclusion on this list is not an endorsement by GARD.

Organizations Supporting this Disease

Living with a genetic or rare disease can impact the daily lives of patients and families. These resources can help families navigate various aspects of living with a rare disease.

Education Resources

  • The Genetics Education Materials for School Success (GEMSS) aims to assure that all children with genetic health conditions succeed in school-life. Their Web site offers general and condition-specific education resources to help teachers and parents better understand the needs of students who have genetic conditions.

These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

Where to Start

  • You can obtain information on this topic from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC is recognized as the lead federal agency for developing and applying disease prevention and control, environmental health, and health promotion and education activities designed to improve the health of the people of the United States.
  • The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has several fact sheets on fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Click on the link to read more.
  • MedlinePlus was designed by the National Library of Medicine to help you research your health questions, and it provides more information about this topic.
  • The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) conducts research focused on improving the treatment and prevention of alcoholism and alcohol-related problems to reduce the enormous health, social, and economic consequences of this disease. Click on the link to view information on this topic. 
  • The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has created a fact sheet on fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.  To view this fact sheet, click on the above link.

In-Depth Information

  • The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch’s tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.

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