[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 6] [Senate] [Page 7750] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]NATIONAL ALCOHOL- AND OTHER DRUG-RELATED BIRTH DEFECTS WEEK Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I rise today in recognition of National Alcohol and Other Drug-Related Birth Defects Week. Substance abuse during pregnancy is the leading known cause of birth defects and mental retardation in the United States. Each year thousands of babies are born with the physical signs and intellectual disabilities related to prenatal substance abuse. Of all the substances of abuse--including heroin, cocaine, and marijuana--alcohol produces the most serious physical and mental effects in the fetus, according to the Institute of Medicine. Referred to as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, or FASD, the potential outcomes of alcohol abuse during pregnancy include mental retardation, growth deficits, altered facial characteristics, organ defects, behavioral problems, delayed motor skills, and various learning disabilities. Researchers estimate that more than 3 million Americans live with an FASD and as many as 40,000 infants are annually born with an FASD. The tragedy of alcohol- and other drug-related birth defects is entirely preventable and must be addressed. We must increase efforts to reach out to all women of childbearing age and connect those most at risk to treatment and counseling services. Increased awareness and education about the effects of substance abuse during pregnancy is the best way to reduce the prevalence of devastating birth defects. I recently joined Senators Murkowski, Inouye, and Landrieu in introducing the Advancing FASD Research, Prevention, and Services Act, in an effort to improve the surveillance, identification, and prevention of FASD. This legislation will make grants available to federally qualified health centers to provide training to health care providers on identifying and educating women who are at risk for alcohol consumption during pregnancy and on screening children for FASD. Through national public and education campaigns, this bill will reach millions and raise awareness of the risks associated with alcohol consumption during pregnancy. There is no cure for FASD and other drug-related birth defects. Yet the devastating effects are entirely preventable when pregnant women abstain from substance use. It is therefore imperative to reach at-risk women and ensure they have knowledge of the dangers of substance abuse, as well as access to quality reproductive and prenatal care. When we move past the stigma associated with this disease, we can truly help those and their families who are affected get the health, education, counseling, and support services they need and deserve. I have long supported efforts to put an end to this entirely preventable and destructive disease. In my home State of South Dakota, over 7,800 individuals are suspected of living with an FASD. With the leadership of the health professionals at our esteemed universities, parents, and teachers, among countless others, we have made some important progress in addressing this issue. However, there is more work to be done to prevent alcohol- and other drug-related birth defects in South Dakota and at the national level. The goal is to one day entirely eliminate the heartbreaking, lifelong effects of fetal alcohol and drug exposure. ____________________