Elizabeth M. Armstrong and Ernest L. Abel are the authors of the essay on “Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: The Origins of a Moral Panic,” which seems to be more of an opinion/editorial piece. Information about Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is provided through presentation of various studies that confirm the authors’ position on FAS being less severe than the way it has been reported (Armstrong & Abel, 2000). Armstrong and Abel clearly acknowledge the FAS is a real diagnosis, but they do not think that it warrants as much panic as what has been created through western medicine and society (Armstrong & Abel, 2000). Mild drinking by pregnant women is not guaranteed to result in a child with FAS. The authors work to convince the audience that the likelihood of FAS is much lower than what has been “sold” to the public (Armstrong & Abel, 2000).
Alcohol is the psychoactive narcotic substance that is discussed in the paper as being severely harmful to unborn fetuses. Needless to say, alcohol can have very damaging results, such as damage to the liver and brain, it is not fair to make women and the public think that even mild drinking will lead to FAS. Many mothers-to-be have considered abortion out of fear that the drinks they had while pregnant will result in a child born with FAS (Armstrong & Abel, 2000). The extremist attitude that has developed in America as a result of the dramatized report on the effect of alcohol in unborn fetuses is inaccurate.
In my opinion, the authors provide a compelling argument against the exaggeration of FAS that has been published for society to be fearful of. Surely the authors do not suggest that pregnant women should drink, but that if they were to have some alcohol during pregnancy that the child was not guaranteed to be born with FAS. The likelihood of a baby born with FAS is very low and the extent of alcohol abuse must be considered before labeling any amount as a problem for the unborn fetus.
References
Armstrong, E.M. & Abel, E.L. (2000). “Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: The Origins of a Moral Panic,” Alcohol and Alcoholism 35 (3), p. 276-282. Oxford University Press.
