Alcoholism causes birth defects? How?
In the US we even have warnings on all alcoholic beverages that say pregnant women should not drink alcohol.
Perhaps I was being too limited in my concept of "birth defects" - including for radiation. If the radiation while pregnant (or before) gives the child cancer at five, is that a "birth defect"? Maybe not, in the way I was thinking, but I can see how it might be thought of that way.