In Seattle during the 1970s, what was suggested for pregnant alcoholic patients, and this recommendation persisted until 1980?

• A. Submit to daily breathalyzer tests
• B. Abort their pregnancies
• C. Turn themselves in to their local jail
• D. Take Valium to deal with withdrawal

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is that, in that era, some medical and social approaches aimed to prevent harm to the fetus from alcohol exposure by recommending abortion for pregnant alcoholic patients. In Seattle during the 1970s, this was a suggested course of action, and it persisted there until 1980, reflecting the period’s attitudes toward fetal health, addiction, and the limited options available at the time.

Aborting the pregnancy was seen as a way to avoid fetal alcohol effects, given growing concerns about how alcohol can harm a developing fetus. This stance persisted even as other treatments for alcohol dependence and pregnancy care were being debated and before broader shifts in ethics and policy around abortion and maternal autonomy.

The other options don’t fit this historical pattern. Daily breathalyzer tests, turning patients in to jail, or prescribing Valium for withdrawal were not recognized or appropriate clinical recommendations for managing pregnant alcohol use, especially given ethical concerns, practicality, and safety for both mother and fetus.