Text4baby is a free mobile information service designed to promote maternal and child health. An educational program of the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition, text4baby provides pregnant women and new moms with information to help them care for their health and give their babies the best possible start in life. Women who sign up for the service by texting BABY to 511411 (or BEBE in Spanish) will receive free SMS text messages each week, timed to their due date or their baby’s date of birth.

Check out Text4baby and share with someone today!

Read the report, Guidelines for the Identification & Management of Lead Exposure in Pregnant & Lactating Women, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The NOFAS Weekly Roundup features news articles, research, event

announcements, new materials and other highlights from around the world

of FASD. The Roundup also includes the latest news from NOFAS and a link

to the Calendar of Events page on the NOFAS website.

FEATURES

Register now for the “Improving outcomes for patients impacted by
prenatal alcohol exposure” conference!

Join the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public
Health, Departments of Family Medicine and Pediatrics; the Great Lakes
FASD Regional Training Center; and St. Mary’s Hospital Continuing
Medical Education in exploring how earlier diagnosis and intervention
can help individuals affected by FASD.

Conference Announcement, University of Wisconsin-Madison, March 3, 2011

Crime and FASD: It need not be a life sentence

The second edition in the “Wounded in the Womb” special article series
on FASD features the story of a young man that turned his life around in
jail after learning about more about his FASD diagnosis.

Article, Winnipeg Free Press, March 1, 2011

Vitamin A could curb fetal-alcohol effects: Israeli research

New research by an Israeli scientist suggests vitamin A could reverse
the effects of alcohol on early embryos during critical development
periods.

Article, Vancouver Sun, March 1, 2011

New signs advertise risks of drinking while pregnant

Utah joins 22 other states in the fight to prevent FASD by requiring
that establishments that sell and serve alcohol prominently display
warning signs about alcohol use during pregnancy.

Article, Deseret News, March 2, 2011

NOFAS

NOFAS Profile: Jennifer Rice and Chris Goudy

Recently NOFAS sat down with NOFAS Virginia President, Jennifer Rice and
her son Chris Goudy.  In this interview, Chris explains how FASD has
affected his ability to complete tasks in school and his difficulties
with memorization and auditory processing. Jennifer speaks to how the
school system has worked with Chris’ disability.

NOFAS Attends 4th International Conference on FASD

Kathy Mitchell and Andy Kachor participated at the largest annual
gathering of FASD researchers, scientists, educators and other leaders
in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Join the Friends of NOFAS Network Today!

Maternal cigarette smoking in the first trimester was associated with a

20 to 70 percent greater likelihood that a baby would be born with

certain types of congenital heart defects, according to a study by the

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Congenital heart defects are

the most common type of birth defects, contributing to approximately 30

percent of infant deaths from birth defects annually. Learn more about smoking early in pregnancy and risk of heart defects.

Empowering Pregnant Women To Promote Healthy Outcomes is the title of an upcoming conference sponsored by Central New Jersey Maternal and Child Health Consortium.  The purpose of this continuing education program is to update health professional and outreach worker knowledge regarding evidence based practice and treatment in order to decrease perinatal risks from substance abuse.

For more information about this cutting edge empowering conference for pregnant women.

The NOFAS Weekly Roundup features news articles, research, event
announcements, new materials and other highlights from around the world
of FASD. The Roundup also includes the latest news from NOFAS and a link
to the Calendar of Events page on the NOFAS website.

FEATURES

Vote for Favorite Special Needs Memoir!

“Braided Cord – Tough Times In and Out” by Liz Kulp, a young author with
FASD, was recently selected as a finalist for ‘Favorite Special Needs
Memoir’ by Terri’s Special Children Blog on about.com.

Article, About.com, February 19, 2011

Project Step Up: Intervention to Reduce Alcohol Consumption in Youth
Exposed to Alcohol Prenatally

The Western Regional Training Center for FASDs at the Semel Institute at
UCLA is currently seeking prenatally exposed teens between ages 13-18 to
participate in a six week research study on coping with daily struggles
and alcohol use.

Research Study, Western Regional Training Center for FASDs, February 18,
2011Iowa House subcommittee approves abortion ban
<http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-ia-abortion-iowa,0,658952.sto
ry>

Along with banning abortions, this ban would also charge women with
endangering the fetus if consuming alcohol during pregnancy.

Article, Chicago Tribune, February 14, 2011

Alcohol free mouthwash significantly reduced preterm births in study

A recent study shows that pregnant women that use alcohol free
antibacterial mouthwash have lower chances of preterm birth.

Article, Examiner,com, February 13, 2011

The Utah State Legislature is currently considering House Bill 216 that
states women with addiction issues should be required to receive
treatment after giving birth or they will not be reunited with their
child.

Article, Salt Lake Tribune, February 11, 2011

NOFAS

NOFAS plans annual Leadership Awards Benefit for June 21, 2011

The annual NOFAS awards reception will be held Tuesday evening, June 21,
in Washington, D.C. NOFAS members and FASD advocates will join Senator
Lisa Murkowski and founding NOFAS members Tom and Linda Daschle to honor
the leaders in the areas of science and advocacy.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

The NOFAS Weekly Roundup features news articles, research, event announcements,
new materials and other highlights from around the world of FASD. The Roundup
also includes the latest news from NOFAS and a link to the Calendar of Events
page on the NOFAS website.

FEATURES

Register Now for “FASD: A Hidden Disability”

Register today for the The Arc’s webinar “FASD: A Hidden Disability” to be held
on February 24, 2011 from 2-4 PM Eastern Time.  This presentation includes a
broad overview of the consequences of prenatal alcohol exposure through the
lifespan from leading FASD experts.  To register, contact Leigh Ann Davis at
ldavis@thearc.org <mailto:ldavis@thearc.org>  or call 202.534.3727.

Webinar, The Arc, February 14, 2011

Australian Panel Recommends Warning Labels for Alcohol
An advisory panel has recommended that the Australian government put warning
labels on alcoholic beverages to support responsible choices, including
abstaining from alcohol consumption during pregnancy.

Article, JoinTogether.org, February 9, 2011

Under-reporting of FASD: an analysis of hospital episode statistics

Recent study from the United Kingdom on the reporting of FASD in hospital
admissions.

Article, MBC Pediatrics, February 8, 2011

New Dietary Guidelines on Alcohol Keep Daily Drinking Yardstick

New dietary guidelines have been recommended by the Department of Health and
Human Services for safe alcohol consumption for men and women.

Article, JoinTogether.org, February 8, 2011

NOFAS Currently Seeks FASD Organizations to Join Affiliate Network

NOFAS is currently seeking FASD organizations to join its Affiliate Network.
All organizations should be registered as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations
or working toward becoming incorporated organizations.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS