Alcohol Abuse Advice

The effects of drinking alcohol while pregnant, after pregnancy and while breastfeeding

Pregnancy is a wonderful phenomenon for the women. The feelings of becoming a mother are exciting, ecstatic and unique and can barely be described in words. Every pregnant woman dreams for a healthy baby at the end of her laborious journey of nine months. But most of them remain unaware about the reasons for which a healthy baby may not be born, or worst, they may end up in a miscarriage or stillbirth.

 

Drinking is one such thing that can cause adverse effects during the pregnancy. While some suggest that little drinking may not have any effect, most of the doctors and physicians prohibit drinking during and after pregnancy till the period of breastfeeding.

 

A variety of physical or mental defects observed/diagnosed amongst newborns originate from a mother who drinks during pregnancy. Doctors term these defects as FASDs (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders). Surveys reveal a shocking 40,000 FASD affected babies per year in the U.S. alone. The U.S. government health and pregnancy related statistics also reveal the fact that approx 8.3% (one in twelve) women drink during their pregnancy while 3.3% women (one in thirty) are reported to be binge drinkers.

 

No amount of alcohol intake could be ascertained as safe for pregnant women. Whatever is being taken by a woman passes to the fetus through the placenta. This very phenomenon makes the picture clear. A drinking mother would harm her would be born baby with slightest amount of alcohol intake. The process of alcohol’s breaking up is much slower and difficult for the growing baby and as such, it remains for more time in its blood. This hinders the normal growth and the child, if is born alive, may have a wide range of physical, mental or behavioral problems. Such physical, mental or behavioral problems may include mental retardation, emotional instability, behavioral abnormality, deformed face, heart, brain or other limbs etc. The most serious defect a child can have from his/her drinking mother is a combination of physical and mental disorder, something which medical science terms as FAS or Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Very unfortunately, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that about 16.6% (one thousand in every six thousands) babies are born with FAS.

 

Alcohol intake during pregnancy increases the chances of premature birth and miscarriages. This is most probably for the fact that alcohol interrupts with the peculiar metabolism of a pregnant woman and adversely affects the hormonal activities during the period of pregnancy. A study carried out on stillbirths in the U.S. also revealed that the chances of stillbirth are distinctly higher amongst women who drink during pregnancy.

 

Starting to drink immediately after pregnancy period is also not safe. A woman’s body chemistry undergoes certain changes after she has given birth to a baby. Alcohol severely affects the metabolism of a woman following childbirth. Moreover, it is also not suggested due to the nursing/breastfeeding needs for the baby. Some amount of alcohol passes through the milk to the baby and may cause some of the FAS disorders.

 

Pregnant women are therefore strongly suggested to refrain from drinking alcohol from the moment they ascertain their pregnancy till the end of the breastfeeding period to have a healthy baby born and growing while remaining healthy themselves.