fifth consideration is that one needs to be vigilant for the four major signs of deviant development (death, malformation, growth retardation, and functional defect) when examining the effects of ethanol in any animal model. Functional defects may occur without any significant malformation or growth retardation. Finally, it should be clear that any disruptions in normal development will likely increase in frequency and degree as dosage increases. Ethanol is unusual in that it is both lipid and water soluble, so when it is consumed by pregnant females it can rapidly transit the placental membrane and directly affect the fetus (1). With these considerations in mind, let us briefly examine what we know of how ethanol affects the human condition.
