Potential Problems...
For those who might think drinking during pregnancy is no big deal, here is a list of the potential problems their newborns could be facing as a result, according to Missouri Department of Mental Health, Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse:

 

* Small body size and weight	* Slower than normal development and failure to "catch up."
* Deformed ribs and sternum	* Deformed ribs and sternum
* Deformed ribs and sternum	* Bent, fused, webbed, or missing fingers or toes
* Limited movement of joints	* Small head
* Facial abnormalities	* Small eye openings
* Skin webbing between eyes and base of nose	* Drooping eyelids
* Nearsightedness	* Failure of eyes to move in same direction
* Short upturned nose	* Sunken nasal bridge
* Flat or absent groove between nose and upper lip	* Thin upper lip
* Opening in roof of mouth	* Small jaw
* Low-set or poorly formed ears	* Organ deformities
* Heart defects or heart murmurs	* Genital malformations
* Kidney and urinary defects	* Central nervous system handicaps
* Small brain	* Faulty arrangement of brain cells and connective tissue
* Mental retardation -- occasionally severe	* Learning disabilities
* Short attention span	* Irritability in infancy
* Hyperactivity in childhood	* Poor body, hand, and finger coordination

No, it's not a pretty picture, but it is not intended to be. It's very serious. These effects are not temporary; they can cause a lifetime of physical and emotional pain --not to mention expense. FAS is a large price to pay for a few drinks during pregnancy.

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