Fetal alcohol syndrome and the realities of our time.

A review is provided of the impact of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) and the realities of the consumption of alcohol by women. The worldwide incidence of FAS is 1.9 per 1,000 live births. FAS is recognized as the leading cause of mental retardation in the West, in addition to producing a constellation of birth defects. One in six women of childbearing age drinks enough alcohol to jeopardize a developing fetus. Warning labels on alcohol should be considered to publicize the dangers to the fetus.