Dangers of drinking alcohol while pregnant-Find out from Experts

the dangers of drinking alcohol while pregnant have great effect on the unborn child

We don’t know for sure how much alcohol is safe for you to have while you’re pregnant. That’s why experts tend to advise that you either don’t have any alcohol in pregnancy, or that you at least don’t drink alcohol for the first three months of your pregnancy.

If you drink alcohol during the last six months of your pregnancy, you should have no more than one or two units, once or twice a week. You shouldn’t drink enough to feel drunk.

Heavy, regular or binge drinking is dangerous for your baby. A heavy drinker is someone who is regularly drinking six or more units of alcohol a day, but rarely feels drunk.

A binge drinker can be defined as someone who may not drink for days at a time, but then drinks five or more units of alcohol in a short space of time, or drinks with the purpose of getting drunk.
Dangers of drinking alcohol while pregnant-Why is alcohol a problem

Alcohol is a toxin. When you drink alcohol, it rapidly reaches your baby through the placenta, via your bloodstream. Heavy, regular or binge drinking can cause miscarriage and premature birth. Too much alcohol can even increase the risk of your baby being stillborn.

If you drink too much alcohol during pregnancy, it can permanently damage your developing baby’s cells. This could affect how your baby’s face, organs and brain grow.

Heavy drinking can also damage your baby’s nervous system. This can mean that your baby develops fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), with problems that can range from mild learning difficulties or social problems, through to birth defects.

Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is at the extreme end of the spectrum of disorders. Babies with FAS tend to have facial defects, be born small and carry on being small for their age. They also have learning difficulties, poor muscle tone and coordination, and behavioral problems, for the rest of their lives. Due to the harm that too much alcohol may cause an unborn baby, experts are wary of saying how much it’s safe to drink alcohol during pregnancy.

Dangers of drinking alcohol while pregnant-Effect of alcohol to the unborn baby

The effect on your baby of drinking alcohol in pregnancy depends on:

• how much alcohol you have
• at what stage in pregnancy you drink alcohol
• how often you drink alcohol

Some experts think that some learning difficulties and memory problems in children may be adduced to their mother’s drinking alcohol during their last trimester. This is when your baby is growing more, and his brain is developing.

Binge drinking can be particularly harmful. If you binge drink, you are at more risk of having a baby with FAS than if you drink the same amount over a longer period.

However, drinking on a regular basis may also cause problems in developing babies. Some studies have suggested that regular drinking of nine or more units spread out over a week may lead to attention problems in some children, and cause them to have a low IQ.
Dangers of drinking alcohol while pregnant-Light drinking in pregnancy

Experts are divided about the potential effects of occasional or light drinking. Light drinking is no more than one unit to two units of alcohol, no more than once or twice a week.

Some studies have shown that light drinking isn’t harmful for your baby. But other studies have reported that any alcohol taken during pregnancy may be harmful.

The Department of Health recommends that pregnant women, and women who are trying to conceive, shouldn’t drink alcohol at all. This in my view is fine however many ladies wonder about the effects that may be there if they drunk before knowing that they are already pregnant.
The important thing is to cut out alcohol, or at least be careful about how much you drink, as soon as you find out that you’re expecting.

Many women have a few drinks before realizing they are pregnant. Babies have a habit of turning up when they’re least expected, and many babies conceived around the time of a night out drinking have been fine. However, we don’t know for sure what a few drinks over a short period early in pregnancy can do to a developing baby. That’s why the Department of Health recommends that you give up drinking shortly before getting pregnant.
Dangers of drinking alcohol while pregnant-Alternative drinks

Not drinking alcohol or cutting down on how much you drink, may be easy if nausea or sickness puts you off it in early pregnancy. But if you tend to have alcohol to help you to unwind, giving up may be harder. Try replacing a glass of beer or wine with other stress-easing pleasures, such as a warm bath, soft music, a beauty treatment, exercise or reading. If you miss the ritual of drinking, switch to non-alcoholic beer or wine during your evening meal. Doing all these may not be easy for many people and a lot would still find them struggling to give up alcohol. If you’re finding it hard to cut down on your own, or think you might have a drink problem, your doctor or midwife can help. They are professionals and won’t judge you. It’s their job to help you to have a healthy pregnancy. Asking for help just shows how much you care about your baby and yourself.

Dangers of drinking alcohol while pregnant-Find out from Experts