Version 2024

2024 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code O35.4

Maternal care for (suspected) damage to fetus from alcohol

ICD-10-CM Code:
O35.4
ICD-10 Code for:
Maternal care for (suspected) damage to fetus from alcohol
Is Billable?
Not Valid for Submission
Code Navigator:

Code Classification

  • Pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium
    (O00-O9A)
    • Maternal care related to the fetus and amniotic cavity and possible delivery problems
      (O30-O48)
      • Maternal care for known or suspected fetal abnormality and damage
        (O35)

O35.4 is a non-specific and non-billable diagnosis code code, consider using a code with a higher level of specificity for a diagnosis of maternal care for (suspected) damage to fetus from alcohol. The code is not specific and is NOT valid for the year 2024 for the submission of HIPAA-covered transactions. Category or Header define the heading of a category of codes that may be further subdivided by the use of 4th, 5th, 6th or 7th characters.

Specific Coding Applicable to Maternal care for (suspected) damage to fetus from alcohol

Non-specific codes like O35.4 require more digits to indicate the appropriate level of specificity. Consider using any of the following ICD-10-CM codes with a higher level of specificity when coding for maternal care for (suspected) damage to fetus from alcohol:

  • Use O35.4XX0 for not applicable or unspecified - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use O35.4XX1 for fetus 1 - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use O35.4XX2 for fetus 2 - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use O35.4XX3 for fetus 3 - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use O35.4XX4 for fetus 4 - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use O35.4XX5 for fetus 5 - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use O35.4XX9 for other fetus - BILLABLE CODE

Index to Diseases and Injuries References

The following annotation back-references for this diagnosis code are found in the injuries and diseases index. The Index to Diseases and Injuries is an alphabetical listing of medical terms, with each term mapped to one or more ICD-10-CM code(s).

Patient Education


Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

Alcohol can harm your baby at any stage during a pregnancy. That includes the earliest stages, before you even know you are pregnant. Drinking during pregnancy can cause a group of conditions called fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs). Children who are born with FASD can have a mix of problems, such as medical, behavioral, educational, and social problems. The kinds of problems they have depend on which type of FASD they have. The problems could include :

  • Abnormal facial features, such as a smooth ridge between the nose and upper lip
  • Small head size
  • Shorter-than-average height
  • Low body weight
  • Poor coordination
  • Hyperactive behavior
  • Difficulty with attention and memory
  • Learning disabilities and difficulty in school
  • Speech and language delays
  • Intellectual disability or low IQ
  • Poor reasoning and judgment skills
  • Sleep and sucking problems as a baby
  • Vision or hearing problems
  • Problems with the heart, kidneys, or bones

Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is the most serious type of FASD. People with fetal alcohol syndrome have facial abnormalities, including wide-set and narrow eyes, growth problems and nervous system abnormalities.

Diagnosing FASD can be hard because there is no medical test, like a blood test, for it. The health care provider will make a diagnosis by looking at the child's signs and symptoms and asking whether the mother drank alcohol during pregnancy.

FASDs last a lifetime. There is no cure for FASDs, but treatments can help. These include medicines to help with some symptoms, medical care for health problems, behavior and education therapy, and parent training. A good treatment plan is specific to the child's problems. It should include close monitoring, follow-ups, and changes when needed.

Certain "protective factors" can help reduce the effects of FASDs and help people who have them reach their full potential. They include:

  • Diagnosis before 6 years of age
  • Loving, nurturing, and stable home environment during the school years
  • Absence of violence around them
  • Involvement in special education and social services

There is no known safe amount of alcohol during pregnancy. To prevent FASDs, you should not drink alcohol while you are pregnant, or when you might get pregnant.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


[Learn More in MedlinePlus]

Pregnancy and Substance Use

During pregnancy, there are many things you can do to keep yourself and your baby healthy. They include getting regular prenatal care, eating healthy, and staying active. But it's also very important to avoid substances that could be harmful to you and your baby, such as tobacco, alcohol, and drugs.

Tobacco

Smoking during pregnancy passes nicotine, carbon monoxide, and many other harmful chemicals to your baby. Nicotine is not only a health danger for you, but it can also damage your developing baby's brain and lungs. Carbon monoxide can keep the developing baby from getting enough oxygen.

If you smoke while pregnant, it raises the risk of your baby being born too small, too early, or with birth defects. During the first year of life, there is a higher risk of your baby dying from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). And later in life, your child may be more likely to have health problems, such as asthma and obesity.

Other tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, also contain nicotine and are not safe to use during pregnancy. And some of the flavorings used in e-cigarettes may be harmful to developing babies.

You will also want to try to avoid secondhand smoke, which has some of the same risks as smoking during pregnancy.

Alcohol

There is no known amount of alcohol that is safe for you to drink during pregnancy and while trying to get pregnant. All types of alcohol are equally harmful, including all wines and beer. The risks from drinking during pregnancy include problems with the growth of the developing baby and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). FASD is a life-long condition that can cause a mix of physical, behavioral, and learning problems.

Illegal drugs

Using illegal drugs, such as cocaine, methamphetamines, and club drugs, during pregnancy can cause problems for both you and your baby. They may cause low birth weight babies, birth defects, or miscarriage. Your child may be more likely to have learning and developmental disabilities. And if you are injecting the drugs, that puts you at risk for HIV. HIV can be passed along to your baby during pregnancy.

Prescription drug misuse

Misusing prescription drugs can also be harmful. Misuse can include taking more than your prescribed dose or taking it more often, using it to get high, or taking someone else's medicines. The possible effects of misusing a medicine during pregnancy will depend on which medicine you are misusing.

Opioids

One type of drug that is a concern during pregnancy is opioids. Opioids include strong prescription pain relievers such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, fentanyl, and tramadol. The illegal drug heroin is also an opioid. Taking opioids during pregnancy can cause problems for you and your baby. The risks include birth defects, preterm birth, the loss of the baby, and neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). NAS causes withdrawal symptoms in newborn babies.

If you have pain and your health care provider suggests that you take prescription opioids during pregnancy, first discuss the risks and benefits with the provider. Then if you both decide that you need to take the opioids, you can work together to try to minimize the risks.

Cannabis (marijuana)

Cannabis (marijuana) is another drug that could be harmful to your baby. Some research shows that using cannabis during pregnancy is linked to developmental problems in children and teens. More research is needed, but the safest thing to do is stop using it if you are pregnant. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises that people should not use cannabis while they are pregnant.

Getting help

If you are pregnant and using any of these substances, contact your provider. Together you and your provider can find the right treatment to help you quit.

If you are taking opioids or are addicted to drugs, don't stop taking them suddenly. That can be dangerous to you and the baby. Instead, contact your provider for help with getting off the drugs safely.


[Learn More in MedlinePlus]

Code History

  • FY 2024 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2023 through 9/30/2024
  • FY 2023 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2022 through 9/30/2023
  • FY 2022 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2021 through 9/30/2022
  • FY 2021 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2020 through 9/30/2021
  • FY 2020 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2019 through 9/30/2020
  • FY 2019 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2018 through 9/30/2019
  • FY 2018 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2017 through 9/30/2018
  • FY 2017 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2016 through 9/30/2017
  • FY 2016 - New Code, effective from 10/1/2015 through 9/30/2016. This was the first year ICD-10-CM was implemented into the HIPAA code set.