The safe use of alcohol during pregnancy

Government health authorities and practitioners have considered generally that the consumption of no amount of alcohol during pregnancy is `safe' for the foetus and the mother. In some western countries, such as Australia and the UK, the health authorities and practitioners are beginning to consider the research that has been undertaken over the past 28 years since the condition `fetal alcohol syndrome' (FAS) was first described, and are beginning to reconsider their policies and recommendations. This paper evaluates briefly the research that has been undertaken internationally, and identifies a threshold above which this condition of FAS is observed to occur.