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Background: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders are the leading cause of non-genetic intellectual disability. The damage caused, although completely preventable, is irreversible and requires lifelong support. General Practitioners have an important role in the prevention of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. However, evidence suggests that General Practitioners do not monitor systematically alcohol consumption among pregnant women., Objectives: The aim of this study was to understand the barriers and motivations of General Practitioners in the prevention of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders on Reunion Island., Methods: A qualitative research study was conducted by conducting semi-structured individual interviews with general practitioners. Participants were selected by random or snowball sampling. General practitioners who worked only in unscheduled care services were excluded from this study. After the interviews were transcribed, a verbatim analysis was performed according to the principles of grounded theory., Results: Twenty interviews were conducted by two researchers between November and December 2020. General practitioners expressed discomfort in addressing alcohol consumption and excessive drinking in women. They had inaccurate theoretical knowledge and a lack of practical experience with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. They also showed little knowledge of the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders care pathway available on Reunion Island. Both patients and general practitioners expressed discomfort when discussing women's alcohol consumption. Conflicting government policies were highlighted as alcohol promotion campaigns overshadowed Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders prevention initiatives., Conclusion: General practitioners should be open and non-judgmental in their interactions with women and couples, with a focus on early detection and short-term intervention. General practitioners should be better educated about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders and have a clearer understanding of the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders care pathway., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Leruste, Baelen, Doray, Maillard, Marimoutou and Spodenkiewicz.)

Introduction: Fetal alcohol exposure is the most common preventable cause of non-genetic intellectual disability. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is characterized by intellectual disability and distinctive facial features and affects 0.1% of live births, representing approximately 800 cases per year in France. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) are 10 times more common than FAS, with an estimated 8,000 cases per year, and are associated with behavioral and social maladjustment in both children and adults, as well as various malformations. General practitioners play a key role in preventing and identifying FASD through their involvement in pregnancy and child monitoring., Methods: Qualitative study using the Delphi method. Items were developed from the literature and semi-structured interviews with field professionals and health institutions. A panel of multi-professional experts, mostly general practitioners, was recruited., Results: 24 initial actions were submitted to the experts. At the end of the first round, six actions reached a consensus and six were reformulated for the second round. At the end of the second round, three actions reached a consensus, for a total of 11 consensus actions. Four of these actions seem particularly relevant for rapid implementation, namely systematic proposal of pre-conceptional consultations for women planning pregnancy, systematic identification of environmental factors during child monitoring, systematic distribution of information on fetal alcohol exposure during pre-conception or early pregnancy, and the publication of a leaflet for general practitioners on the identification of children with FAS or FASD and the contact details of relevant associations., Conclusion: Prevention and identification of FASD can be improved through short and general training supports for general practitioners. Early screening of FASD is crucial for children, and should be maintained throughout their monitoring. This study could be used for communication and dissemination of information based on the consensus obtained., Competing Interests: SL is a doctoral thesis student funded by the Doctoral School of the University of Réunion. The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Leruste, Pouilley-Bax, Doray, Maillard, Monin, Loubaresse, Marimoutou and Spodenkiewicz.)