The minimum quantity of alcohol required to produce adverse fetal consequences is unknown (22). Clinically significant deficits are not common in children whose mothers drank less than approximately five drinks per occasion once per week (39). However, vulnerability to a given alcohol level during pregnancy varies markedly from person to person, possibly reflecting genetic factors, nutritional status, environmental factors, co-occurring diseases, and maternal age (40). Prospects for Prevention FAS and ARND could be completely eliminated if pregnant women did not consume alcohol. Therefore, recent FAS prevention research has focused on finding and treating women who drink during pregnancy. For example, TWEAK (41)-a brief questionnaire for assessing alcohol problems in women-shows promise as a screening instrument for identifying risk drinking by pregnant women (42).

Pregnant women who are consuming alcohol but are not "problem" drinkers may decrease their drinking level following such an assessment without subsequent treatment (43). An overall decline in alcohol consumption has also been noted among pregnant women following a brief intervention, which can be conducted by a primary care provider (43). Such sessions may include a discussion of the risks of maternal drinking and suggested alternatives to alcohol use. Pregnant women with higher drinking levels may benefit from a 1-hour motivational interview focusing on the health of the unborn child (44). Women who are alcohol dependent require intensive alcoholism treatment (44).