Baby Care

Posts Tagged ‘Alcohol’

A pregnant woman, even with all the desire cannot “drink alone” – she will always be accompanied with a fetus. Alcohol easily passes through the placenta and gets into his body. It doesn’t operate there in a better way. Mothers have long been told that alcohol is not safe for the growing baby. However, it appears that some mothers may be drinking some alcohol, but choosing to do it quietly. The truth is that any amount of alcohol may harm your baby. There is actually a range of problems that affects babies exposed to alcohol, otherwise known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. These effects can range from subtle learning disabilities to central nervous system disorders and facial anomalies. In some cases, alcohol effects may not be seen for years. Researchers from the UK in a 2001 study saw more behavioral problems with children ages 6-7 if their mothers consumed even small amounts of alcohol during their pregnancies in comparison to women who did not consume any alcohol. A new study that was published online in the International Journal of Epidemiology in October looked at the impact of low-levels of alcohol consumption by pregnant women, which they defined as no more than two drinks on any given day and on no more than two days per week. The study looked at more than 12,000 new moms. The moms were asked if they drank during pregnancy, how much, and followed the children through their early years to assess behavior. The result was a finding that moms who had a low-level of alcohol consumption during pregnancy actually had kids with fewer behavior and cognitive problems than moms who didn’t drink at all. There is no certain answer as to whether alcohol is safe or not during pregnancy. Medical professionals both in the US and abroad fall on both sides — some saying that occasional drinks are safe while others say that alcohol is never okay during conception or pregnancy. They all, however, agree that drinking a lot of alcohol is unacceptable.

Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is a serious health problem that tragically affects its victims and their families, but that is completely preventable. Causing a child to suffer from fetal alcohol syndrome is really nothing short of child abuse and it lasts for life. Babies born with FAS tend to weigh less and be shorter than normal.

They usually suffer from:
• smaller heads
• deformed facial features
• abnormal joints and limbs
• poor coordination
• problems with learning
• short memories

Everybody knows about the harmful effects of alcohol to uterus and postnatal development of the organism of the child. Thus, even in ancient times it was believed that Hephaestus – the only cripple among the Olympian gods – was conceived by Zeus when he was drunk. Aristotle described drinking as a voluntary madness. He claimed that constantly bibulous or feeble-minded women, in most cases, have children with similar defects. Helios thought that if the drunk man has a child, it is unlikely that the baby «will have a good head». Carthage and Sparta had laws prohibiting married couples to consume alcohol before they are 30 years old. This was done to avoid conception while intoxicated.

Future parents should be aware that in certain periods of pregnancy effects of alcohol is especially dangerous for the body of the child. The period of extra-uterine development (7-8 days after fertilization)is the most vulnerable, as the impact of negative factors, including alcohol, can cause serious injury to eggs. In the early period (from 3 to 6 weeks of intrauterine development) the development of organs and systems of the embryo takes place. And each system is developed in a strictly defined period of time. For example, a 17-38th day after fertilization occurs the development of heart, at the 18th day – the nervous system, a 36-180th day – the genitals, etc. Use of alcohol or other toxic substances during the active formation of systems and organs of the developing embryo may contribute to abnormal deviations in those organs and systems.

Alcohol syndrome fetus and Pregnancy

Prolonged effects of alcohol leads to oxygen starvation in the developing organs of the body. As a result of late development of the brain, its mass decreases, pathologic changes occur in the liver, the skeleton of the head, activity of blood-forming organs and a number of enzymes is reduced. There are many changes on the part of almost all organs and systems of the fetus. With chronic use of alcohol during pregnancy in the future the newborn will have some combination of defects of physical and mental development, which in medical practice is known as fetal alcohol syndrome.

The main cause of the fetal alcohol syndrome, as demonstrated by scientific evidence, is a violation of chromosome – the damage of genetic structures of cells. They are not inherited from parents, but may appear under the influence of alcohol.

Alcohol fetal syndrome is characterized by four groups of disorders: pre-and post dystrophy, craniofacial disorders, abnormalities of organs and systems, leading to various deformities, and damage to the various divisions of the brain.

Please note an important fact: the safe dose of alcohol for pregnant women does not exist! That is why every woman should know that only a complete abstinence from any alcohol during pregnancy (no matter whether it is beer, alcohol is considered an easy or natural grape wine) can guarantee the birth of a healthy baby!