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I think that it depends on the amount that they are drinking.  If it is a glass of wine at dinner once in a while, no.  However, if they are consuming a great amount, then yes, they are harming their child, and something should be done.  Maybe not incarcerated, but a treatment center or some type of out patient help. 

Well if our society was to go to that extreme, then we might as well make abortion illegal. I do not think that should happen or will it ever happen.  

I believe women who drink while pregnant absolutely need to be incarcerated. They damage the babies' brains! If I hit someone in the head and damaged a person's brain I would be tried and convicted and sent to prison. Try raising, teaching, employing, and keeping their offspring out of prison! What they do to their babies is awful! Their kids go through excruciating emotional pain. People who say no have absolutely no idea what these kids have to live like. Why should they go to prison, experience homelessness, joblessness, etc. for their birth mother's mistake.Many are born victims and continue to be victims throughout their lives.

In reply to #12: Before this question is responded to people need to educate themselves on the damage that is done. How can anyone say that a person should be able to damage their child's brain?

In reply to #2:

I find your response bull. I find that if you go along with the pregnancy and drink that is the same as child abuse and should be incarcerated for drinking or abusing drugs while you are pregnant. Even having that glass of wine occasionally is doing harm to the unborn child.Yes, it is a choice of freedom you think, but if that person decided to go thru with the pregnancy and not have an abortion, and from that point on she has to take the responsiblity to take care of herself to give birth to a healthy baby. To intentially drink while you know you are pregnant is abuse. And I apologize if I made this seem like i intended it for you, I didn't, I just feel so strongly on this subject

Woman has the right, by virtue of her own birth, to do whatever she wishes with her own body.  You own yourself.  That means you're responsible for yourself.  If she chooses to drink to excess, that's her business, and she alone suffers the consequences of drunkenness.  If she drinks and drives, then she suffers additionally the penalties of the law for endangering others' lives, for others, by virtue of their births, have a right to live and not be endangered by some drunk's actions. However, the question as written presupposes fetuses have rights. If so, then yes, drinking to excess while pregnant is endangering another's life.  But the question isn't even written like that.  If she drinks one drink, is that endangerment?  Is any alcohol near a fetus now a crime? What proof a single drink causes brain damage?  And if "public" health policy deigns that it does, who enforces it?  The fetus police?  Are they the defenders of fetus rights?  And if fetuses have rights, how will they exercise them? Although fetuses may be alive, they're not born, and until such time, they cannot have rights, as they are dependent upon the mother.  As an extension of the mother's body, no one but the mother gets to decide how much to drink, smoke or shoot should they so choose. Certainly those concerned should educate the few errant mothers.  If you attempt to incriminate, you cause more problems and solve none.

i think it is rediculous that anyone would think it is ok for a woman to drink while she pregnant. i have recently adopted a child with FAS and it is heart breaking. this child did not choose to have a mental retardation and only an ignorant person would be ok with this type of abuse. she is a beautiful little girl that was handicapped by her mother. it could have simply been prevented. women who are reported to be drinking while pregnant should be incarcerated in some kind of institution. we owe it to the children to put something like that into play. if you saw a woman damage her child's brain by smashing a brick into their skull you would do something about it...right?? this situation is no different. if they dont want their child then they should abort not a bring a child into the world that will never be a functioning member of society. its not fair to anyone. especially when a huge number of woman are giving these children up for adoption or putting them into foster care...they are not even dealing with consequences of what they have done.