[Alcoholic mothers and their offspring].

The authors examined 75 mothers suffering from alcoholism with regard to risk factors for their progeny. When children had psychological pathology, the mothers' alcoholism was distinguished by greater severity of biological manifestations and relatively easier social sequelae. A peculiar nature of the alcoholism course, along with the alcohol doses taken by the mothers during pregnancy, determined the birth of children with the syndrome of alcoholic embryopathy. The appearance of children with neurotic and psychopathic disturbances reflects the polymorphism of the psychogenic effect of maternal alcoholism. A multifactorial effect of the mother's alcoholism on her progeny is postulated and practical recommendations based on this postulation are offered.