Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 97.djvu/1353

 PUBLIC LAW 98-188—NOV. 30, 1983 97 STAT. 1321 Public Law 98-188 98th Congress Joint Resolution To designate the week beginning January 15, 1984, as "National Fetal Alcohol Nov. 30, 1983 Syndrome Awareness Week". [H.J. Res. 324] Whereas fetal alcohol syndrome is one of the three major causes of birth defects and accompanying mental retardation in the United States; Whereas fetal alcohol syndrome can result in such serious health problems as deficiencies in prenatal and postnatal growth that are associated with mental retardation, developmental disabilities that may cause an infant to experience delays in learning to walk and speak, and heart defects, including a hole between the pump- ing chambers of the heart; Whereas, in cases in which fetal alcohol syndrome is avoided, infants may still experience fetal alcohol effects, a series of poorly defined health problems that include increased irritability during the newborn period and hyperactivity; Whereas the discovery of fetal alcohol syndrome as a major health problem is a recent occurrence, and many questions regarding the illness remain unanswered; Whereas there has never been an infant born with fetal alco- hol syndrome whose mother did not consume alcohol during pregnancy; Whereas fetal alcohol syndrome can be prevented if pregnant women and women considering pregnancy abstain from alcohol consumption; and Whereas the Surgeon General of the Public Health Service has issued an advisory stating that pregnant women and women considering pregnancy should not consume alcohol: Now, there- fore, be it

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