Is drinking while pregnant a special problem here?
No amount of alcohol consumption is safe for pregnant women, according to the U.S. Surgeon General’s guidelines. It’s a message that has been printed on the label of every bottle of wine or whiskey in the country for the last 10 years. And since the early ’70s, alcohol consumption during pregnancy has been definitively linked to a specific group of birth defects including physical abnormalities, distinct facial features, stunted growth, memory problems, learning disabilities, even mental retardation in severe cases. A recent study the SLO County Health Agency publicized found more local women drink while pregnant than pregnant women elsewhere. Agency officials say the county is “one of the top problem areas in the nation for alcohol consumption during pregnancy.” The statement is based on San Luis Obispo County rating the highest among 20 other counties surveyed in the state, as well as counties surveyed in several other states. “We have doctors that are still saying it’s OK to have a
