When a pregnant woman drinks alcohol, she is making her baby drink alcohol, too. The result can be disastrous - physical and mental problems that will never go away in the baby. This is called Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), and it is the leading cause of mental retardation and birth defects, including facial deformities. Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAE) is the same thing, minus the facial deformities.

It's not fully known why alcohol creates such damage. Alcohol is a poison, and causes water to leave the body's cells, which makes them collapse and die. That means the baby can't grow properly.

Many aboriginal children are born with FAS or FAE. They didn't have to be. Learn how to protect your unborn child by reading about FAS or FAE on these web sites.

Pauktuutit, the Inuit Women's Association
206.191.31.66/FAS/index.html

"Before I Was Born" is an information package featuring a poster, radio play, video and video viewing guide in Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtun, as well as English and French.

Pregnancy - AYN Health Centre
www.ayn.ca/health/en/pregnancy/pregnancy_FAS.asp

Excellent straight-talk from the Aboriginal Youth Network

Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse - FAS/FAE
www.ccsa.ca/fasgen.htm

Includes links to a lot of good resources: local associations, recent conference papers, videos and more.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome - Fetal Alcohol Effects
www.fas-saf.com/

Find out what Health Canada is doing about FAS/FAE.

"How much is too much when you're pregnant?"
www.hc-sc.gc.ca/english/magazine/2000_08/fas.htm

Every day in Canada, one child is born with FAS or FAE. Learn more from this Health Canada magazine article.