binge drinking  The topic binge drinking is discussed in the
following articles:  alcohol consumption    • TITLE: alcohol
consumption     SECTION: United States     • TITLE: human
nutrition     SECTION: Pregnancy and lactation     Heavy alcohol
consumption or “binge drinking” during pregnancy can cause fetal
alcohol syndrome, a condition with irreversible mental and
physical retardation. Even lighter social drinking during
pregnancy may result in milder damage—growth retardation,
behavioral or learning abnormalities, or motor
impairments—sometimes described as fetal alcohol effects. Until
a...