Alcohol During Pregnancy
A mother’s alcohol use during
pregnancy is one of the top preventable causes of birth
defects and developmental disabilities. When you consume
alcohol, so does your baby. Alcohol freely passes through
the placenta to your baby. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy
increases the chances of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
(FASD). Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) are
the full spectrum of birth defects that are caused by
prenatal alcohol exposure. FASD has no cure, but it
can be prevented. There is no known amount of alcohol
that is safe to drink while pregnant. There is no time
during pregnancy when it is safe to drink. When a pregnant
woman drinks alcohol, her baby does too.
|
|
How does alcohol affect your baby's development?
One thing is clear, if you are pregnant
and take a drink -- a glass of wine, a beer or a cocktail
-- your unborn child takes the same drink. Whatever
you eat or drink while pregnant goes directly through
your bloodstream into the placenta. Your baby is constantly
growing and developing throughout these nine months.
For the unborn child, the alcohol interferes with his
ability to get enough oxygen and nourishment for normal
cell development in the brain and other body organs.
If you consume an excessive amount of alcohol during
these crucial times of development, you may cause problems
for your baby. These are lifetime, irreversible effects
that can cause physical, mental and neurobehavioral
birth defects.
What if I drank alcohol before I knew I was pregnant?
If you were not aware that you were
pregnant and drank alcohol, the best thing you can do
now is STOP drinking. The sooner you quit, the better.
If you're pregnant and find yourself unable to stop
drinking, don't be ashamed to talk with your obstetrician.
She can recommend ways for you to find the help and
support you need to stop drinking for your sake, and
for your precious baby's sake.
How many drinks are safe in Pregnancy?
It used to be believed that drinking
moderate amounts (a drink a day) was relatively safe.
But it's only recently been discovered that children
of women who drank during pregnancy — even those
who had as little as one drink a day — were experiencing
developmental problems throughout their childhood and
even into adolescence.
The message is clear: Pregnant women
should not be drinking at all. If you're pregnant and
find yourself unable to stop drinking, don't be ashamed
to talk with your obstetrician. She can recommend ways
for you to find the help and support you need to stop
drinking for your sake, and for your precious baby's
sake.
|
|
Motherhood Blog
Monday, 5 December 2011
Alcohol During Pregnancy
Sunday, 27 November 2011
Children’s behaviour
|
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)