Chapter 6, Problem 15BS

The consumption of alcohol by a pregnant woman can cause a series of birth defects called fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Symptoms of FAS include head and facial irregularities, heart defects, mental retardation, and behavioral problems. The U.S. Surgeon General’s Office recommends that pregnant women abstain from drinking alcohol, and the government has mandated that a warning label be placed on liquor bottles. Imagine you are a server in a restaurant. An obviously pregnant woman orders a strawberry daiquiri. How would you respond? Is It the woman’s right to make those decisions about her unborn child’s health? Do you bear any responsibility in the matter? Is a restaurant responsible for monitoring the dietary habits of its customers?