Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder : A War on the Unborn

Today is the international Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) awareness day and it is 100 percent preventable.

But according to the U.S. Government, over 40,000 infants are born with FASD. And these numbers are considered to be low because you have to conduct specialized testing to diagnose the disorder.  In many cases, the disorder is not detected because the specialized testing is not conducted.

Arguably, you can spend millions on educating women about the dangers of drinking while pregnant, but mothers continue to ignore the dangers. The same argument could be made about drinking and driving.

In the U.S. there were over 10,000 deaths that were related to driving and drinking in 2009. That figure decreased from over 11,000 deaths in 2008 and it wasn't education that caused the decrease in fatalities. It's because tough laws that prohibt drinking and driving were enacted.

I find it telling that the Pro-choice community at the Democratic convention stated that the Republican party is engaged in a War on Women and cited Rep. Todd Akin as an example as a member who is attacking a woman's right to choose.

The effect Roe v Wade has provided women with the choice to say I can do what I want with my body and my womb.

Unfortunately, for the unborn fetus about to become born, the womb is no safe place, because the Pro-choice movement has declared war on the unborn and the casualty of this war is the child with FASD.

Enough of the education, it is time to protect the unborn through laws.

Updated: State Warns Pregnant Women Not to Drink Alcohol

“As many as one in eight pregnant women drink alcohol, putting their child at risk of permanent learning disabilities, poor coordination or delayed speech,” said Secretary Gary Tennis. “Because the stakes are so high, it’s critical that women who are pregnant – or might become pregnant – stop drinking.”