Background: Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can significantly impact almost every aspect of life. While neurodevelopmental outcomes are frequently researched, other comorbidities in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) remain underexplored. A survey by the International Adult Leadership Collaboration (ALC) FASD Changemakers found that many adults with FASD have physical health comorbidities. This suggests that there may be a link between PAE and disease susceptibility later in life. This review summarises current knowledge on some of the physical health domains reported by the ALC Changemakers and provides an overview of the latest literature on the whole-body effects of PAE/FASD across the lifespan.

Methods:  A literature search was conducted on July 8, 2024, using CINAHL, PubMed, and Web of Science. Search terms were based on the findings of the ALC FASD Changemakers Health Survey and covered sleep, hearing/vision, body composition, metabolic, cardiovascular, renal, immune, and reproductive health. The search was conducted in two phases. Phase one aimed to summarise existing knowledge by identifying the latest systematic reviews and other reviews for each health domain. Phase two identified recent primary research articles published since these reviews.

Results: Phase one identified 744 reviews and 22 were included. Phase two identified 1,102 articles and 41 were included.

Conclusions: Evidence suggests that individuals with PAE/FASD may experience comorbidities relating to physical health. These findings support the notion that the lifelong effects of PAE extend beyond the brain, emphasising the need for further research and a holistic approach to care.