Drinking Alcohol During Pregnancy
There are a large number of women who drink during pregnancy, despite medical advice to stop drinking alcohol whilst pregnant.
According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there is no safe amount of alcohol to consume whilst pregnant, as alcohol exposure causes physical damage to the developing baby [1].
The more that a mother drinks during pregnancy, the greater the risk of harm to the baby becomes, both during pregnancy and after.
When a mother drinks, alcohol passes from the blood through the placenta and to the womb.
The liver is one of the last organs to develop in a baby and doesn’t mature until the later stages of pregnancy.
A baby cannot process alcohol as well as an adult, and too much exposure to alcohol in pregnancy can seriously affect development.
Drinking alcohol, particularly in the first three months of pregnancy, increases the risk of miscarriage, premature birth, and the baby having a low birth weight.
Drinking after the first three months of pregnancy can cause complications after a child is born, including learning difficulties and behavioural problems.
Foetal Alcohol Syndrome
Drinking heavily throughout pregnancy can cause babies to develop foetal alcohol syndrome (FAS).
Children with FAS have:
- Poor growth
- Differences in facial features, including small eyes and a thin upper lip
- Brain damage
- Learning and behavioural problems
The effects of FAS on a baby during pregnancy are permanent; for the safety of a baby, it is advised to avoid drinking whilst pregnant.
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