The first level of FASD prevention is about raising public awareness through campaigns and other broad strategies. The second level of FASD prevention is about girls and women of childbearing years having the opportunity for safe discussions about reproductive health, contraception, pregnancy, alcohol use, and related issues, with their support networks and healthcare providers. Nurses and other frontline workers are essential to FASD prevention, intervention, and diagnosis.
Health care teams that are FASD-informed are well-prepared to effectively care for people with FASD, their families, and women using substances. Because substance use has wide-ranging effects on many different aspects of life, service providers across a range of health care and social service settings can have an important role in addressing the potential harms of substance use and improving overall health.