Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Fetal alcohol Syndrome is characterized by a cluster of congenital birth defects that include prenatal and postnatal growth deficiency. There is also facial abnormalities including small head circumference; flatten mid-face sunken nasal bridge; flatten and elongated philtrum. There is some central nervous system dysfunction and varying degrees of major organ system malformations. FAS is now recognized as the leading cause of mental retardation in the western world, but the important thing about FAS is that it is totally preventable. First off keeping track of FAS is crucial to its prevention by which this is a national health priorit