What areas in the fetus are most affected by alcohol?

The areas most affected by alcohol in the fetus are the skeletal structures, organs, central nervous system, and related rates of growth. Specifically in the central nervous system, alcohol can:

• interfere with the normal proliferation of nerve cells
• increase the formation of cell-damaging molecular fragments
• alter the cell’s ability to produce or regulate cell growth, division and survival
• alter the formation of axons
• alter cell membranes
• alter the pathways of electrical signals within cells
• alter the expression of certain genes.

Source: FASD, Competency-Based Curriculum Development Guide