is a decrease in blood and brain concentration of the corticosteroid hormones. the deficiency in said hormone leads to the failure in the response of a newborn to stress. Thyroid hormonal deficiencies are also have a harmful effect on the development of some tissues, especially the brain. In the cerebellum, a part of the brain controlling posture and balance, there is a change in the maturation and migration of nerve cells to their respective locations that is caused by the deficiencies linked to the thyroid hormone. (Michaelis and Michaelis, P. 19) Prostaglandins are local tissue chemicals derived from fatty substances. There is a marked increase in the activity of these chemicals during the exposure that the fetus has to alcohol. These chemicals have very powerful affects on the blood vessels of the uterus, placenta, and the fetus. Their overproduction may be responsible for the lack of oxygen brought about by prostaglandin-induced constriction of the blood vessels. This lack of oxygen functions as a trigger for the cells in different tissues. This in turn leads to the aggravation of the preexisting hypoxia and could lead to tissue damage and growth retardation. The increased production and release of the substances that are produced by the prostaglandin and its developmental hypoxia can diminish blood circulation to tissues and set the stage for the cessation or delay in cell proliferation, growth, and migration. (Michaelis and Michaelis, p. 16) There are many things that are factors in the growth and continual deformation in the babies born with FAS but there can be many or one simple thing that can also avoid the fetus to be affected by the exposure to alcohol. There continues to be ongoing research on the nutritional, hormonal, and cellular events regulating fetal development to help guide early interventions in children with FAS. There will always exist a continual risk because of the lack of education in mothers-to-be. The one ...
