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Professor Carol Bower

Senior Principal Research Fellow; Director, FASD Research Australia

It takes a village: Influencing policy and practice to prevent alcohol use in pregnancy and promote better outcomes for individuals living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by exposure to alcohol in utero. It has pervasive, lifelong impacts and is recognised as a major public health concern in many countries where alcohol is used. The FASD Research Australia Centre of Research Excellence was funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council to generate and translate evidence to address prevention, diagnosis, and management of FASD in Australia.

Association of prenatal alcohol exposure with offspring DNA methylation in mammals: a systematic review of the evidence

Prenatal alcohol exposure is associated with a range of adverse offspring neurodevelopmental outcomes. Several studies suggest that PAE modifies DNA methylation in offspring cells and tissues, providing evidence for a potential mechanistic link to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.

Is ‘a little’ too much?: An exploration of women’s beliefs about alcohol use during pregnancy

Interventions to address alcohol use during pregnancy need to target underlying determinants of the behaviour. Using the theory of planned behaviour as a theoretical framework, the aim of this study was to identify behavioural, normative and control beliefs regarding alcohol use during pregnancy among a sample of women.

Adverse Childhood Experiences, Associated Stressors and Comorbidities in Children and Youth with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder across the Child Protection and Justice Settings in Western Australia

Individuals with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) are at risk of having adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), especially those with child protection or justice system involvement. The complex relationship between FASD and psychosocial vulnerabilities in the affected individual is an important clinical risk factor for comorbidity.

Review of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a preventable, lifelong disability that disproportionately affects Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This review provides a comprehensive synthesis of the available information on FASD among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, with reference to the limitations on population-based data and evaluated programs.

Consensus diagnostic criteria for fetal alcohol spectrum disorders in Australia: A modified Delphi study

To evaluate health professionals' agreement with components of published diagnostic criteria for fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) in order to guide...

Health professionals' perceptions about the adoption of existing guidelines for the diagnosis of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders in Australia

Despite the availability of five guidelines for the diagnosis of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), there is no national endorsement for their use in...

Heavy prenatal alcohol exposure and increased risk of stillbirth

The objective was to investigate the association between heavy prenatal alcohol exposure and stillbirth.

Recording a history of alcohol use in pregnancy: an audit of knowledge, attitudes and practice at a child development service

To assess the effectiveness of alcohol documentation and to measure the practice of health practitioners in relation to asking about alcohol and pregnancy.