Comments about ‘'Alcohol and pregnancy do not mix,' Shurtleff says’

You can deal with this issue without being alarmist. A single drink is NOT going to cause FAS or FASD. I notice how the article didn't mention how much the woman in question was drinking. I will bet a fortune that it was a lot. Just another example of leaders/legislators going to extremes instead of dealing with the actual issue.

There is NO safe amount of alcohol to drink while pregnant. If drinking is that important, don't get pregnant!

Check your facts. There is NO safe amount to drink while pregnant. If drinking is that important to you, don't get pregnant!

There is not a "woman in question" in this article. You missed the point! There is not a safe amount of alcohol to drink while pregnant. The point, as mentioned above, is that NO amount of alcohol is safe and therefore if you are pregnant...DON'T DRINK. Alcohol does more damage to an unborn child than any other drug. FASD is 100% preventable. Maybe if "leader/legislators went to extremes" 5 years ago my daughter wouldn't be dealing with brain damage today.

What is FASD? The article never stated. Shouldn't acronyms be spelled out at least once??

It was spelled out in the picture of the mother with her daughter the caption says:
fetal alcohol spectrum disorder

Has he ever heard of the word Private? There are some things you shouldn't share. No wonder this girl has problems/ I am tired of hearing all about this guys problems

I don't believe this story at all and there is no evidence of moderate to lite drinking does any harm. Genetics is genetics and alcohol can't change that. Non drinkers face the same genetic defects so this is pure bunk.

How do they not know that all the hormones and chemicals introduced in to our food supply has not caused so many birth defects? Our meats, vegetables, grains, milk products are laced with hormonal and genetcially altering chemicals. In the last couple of decades the number of birth defects have escalated well beyond normal and everyone is looking for a cause in blind searches. Alcohol has been around for centuries and only since the introduction of genetically altering food supply has it shown up.

Many foreign countries ban our food and the FDA and chemical companies are hiding the truth about our food. If there is anything to blame, just look at what you eat and the adulterated food we have. Many chemist and doctors have tried to warn america about our food but money wins as we slowly kill ourselves and our babies get deformed.

Re: Terra
While I agree one shouldn't drink while pregnant (I am currently pregnant and wouldn't even entertain the thought of a drink), I think you are a bit off regarding alcohol being worse than any other drug. REALLY? Heroin? Crack/Cocaine? Me thinks you are wrong....

Don't drink while pregnant. Gotcha. Afterwards, the kids will make sure you pick it up again.

Also in the 4th paragraph of the article.

To: Primer for new law?
I feel sorry for your ignorance to well-based facts on substance abuse to fetus'. I do agree with you about all the other nasty things thrown into our foods... but there is substantial evidence about alcohol and other drugs and that damage done to babies.
The babies who grow into children pay the price in severe behavior and mental health problems. It is enough that adoption is absolutely a scary option any more.

Re: Primer for a new law. Today science is better able to identify the cause of disorders that, like alcohol, have been around for centuries. You might want to live in France and eat there. Also, they have plenty of alcohol for consumption. Have at it.

I am pregnant and my doctor told me that one glass of wine is not going to hurt the baby. I had a few sips a month ago but wine is not really my favorite. I don't feel guilty and I don't think my baby will come out retarded just because I had a tiny glass of wine. They clearly are not laying out the facts in this bias article. One glass a day I doubt would hurt the baby, everything I have read says its a heavy drinking problem that affects your baby. And really? Putting "baby your baby" info at the liquor store... Oh that will deter some alcoholic pregnant lady from drinking... Right.

Consider that drinking kills brain cells. Fetuses don't have large brains that can afford to lose a billion cells and still work tolerably well like adults do. Fetal brains are especially vulnerable in the first few weeks of pregnancy, before most mothers even know they are pregnant. And yes, studies have shown that for the fetal brain, alcohol is even more damaging than heroin. Please, educate yourselves about this if you don't believe it's real.

Duh! Drink a tall glass of grape juice a day, it's been found to do exactly what wine claims to do, but better. That study that said a glass of wine is good for your heart, was sponsored in part by wine companies.

When I was in Ireland in the 1990s on a mission, we did weekly service in facilities that cared for FAS children. It was very sad. Years ago, pregnant women were told to drink Guiness, that it would be healthy for them because of the high iron content. "Drink Guinees for strength"

Talk about conspiring men. Alcoholic fathers can also affect the unborn to an extent. And of course afterwards with abuse, etc. Yep. Sad.

That is an interesting point. Years ago, a president of Utah AAA came to our school and said that it's possible that those who are from southern countries like Italy can handle their alcohol better than those of northern countries like Ireland or Norway. But that's just a theory.

But pregnancy is another story. That's a time of responsiblity to only eat and drink healthy things, no matter where you're from. And as stated above, if drinking is that important, don't get pregnant.

Weather you believe the article or not, is it REALLY worth the chance that the info could be correct and drinking COULD harm your baby? Are you so selfish that you would rather have a drink than take the precaution to protect your infant? If so, I would think you have bigger problems! Why take the chance?

The parent of one of my parents was a heavy smoker and drinker when pregnant with my parent and siblings. All of her children had low birth weights, and my parent has a multitude of health problems, serious problems like Cereberal Palsy, that has plauged my parent their entire life.

Im pregnant and looking at the parent is all the proof I need that alcohol and tobacco consumption are not good for my baby.

Primer for new law? - what exactly do YOU eat, then? Sounds like a serious case of paranoia to me!
These people who are drinking during their pregnancy are obviously too selfish to think about anyone other than themselves. Let alone their unborn child. Face the facts and get over your selfishness.