Alcohol & Pregnancy

Gr 9 Up—This very brief production features a diverse group of teens who are parents or parents-to-be and includes three couples. The first and longest segment, "Your Unborn Baby," covers the problems encountered by babies of mothers who drink alcohol, such as low birth weight, physical birth defects, learning and behavior disorders, mental retardation, and more. The information is presented while a nurse is shown caring for a tiny, sickly infant. Dramatic graphics illustrate the difference in brain development and physical characteristics between a healthy child and one with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). A foster mother who has parented many children with FAS discusses some of the heartbreaking side effects that these children suffer and activities that will challenge them through life. The next section focuses on strategies to lead an alcohol-free lifestyle, such as participating in hobbies, joining support groups, and taking alcohol-free drinks to parties. There is also information on drinking while breastfeeding. "Know Your Risk and Getting Help" poses questions aimed at determining whether one is abusing alcohol and identifies agencies and individuals who can offer help. This straightforward, fact-filled program delivers the information that teens need to know about alcohol and pregnancy.—Constance Dickerson, Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library, OH