To Drink or Not to Drink
Any Alcohol Use During Pregnancy Is Harmful Alcohol , 2008 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders,” www.cdc.gov, May 2, 2006.
“There is no known safe amount of alcohol to drink while pregnant.”
In the following viewpoint, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) maintains that any alcohol consumption during pregnancy may be harmful to the unborn baby. According to the CDC, alcohol can cause fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) that result in lifelong physical, mental, and behavioral disabilities. These problems can be prevented simply by not drinking alcohol while pregnant, it insists. The CDC is a government agency that works to protect the health and safety of all Americans.
As you read, consider the following questions:
What are the reported rates of FAS, according to the author?
As explained by the CDC, how are secondary conditions such as criminal behavior and unemployment related to FASDs?
How can fathers help prevent FASDs, in the opinion of the author?
What Are FAS and FASDs?
How Common Are FAS and FASDs?
What Are the Characteristics of Children with FAS and Other FASDs?
How Can We Prevent FASDs?