Fetal alcohol syndrome: report of a case

Fetal alcohol syndrome is an uncommon occurrence in Taiwan, especially in the southern area. We report here a case who demonstrated severe intrauterine growth retardation with major limb reduction, chest hypoplasia and characteristic facial dysmorphism-short palpebral fissures, hypoplastic philtrum, and a thin upper lip. The mother had been consuming large quantities of alcohol, 6 bottles of "rice wine" per day (800 grams of absolute alcohol per day) during the pregnancy. The maternal serum level of ethanol was as high as 173 mg/dl. According to previous reports, we causally suggest that maternal ethanol abuse may be related to fetal anomalies in this case.