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No, Alcohol consumption during pregnancy is very dangerous. Alcohol
will create a number of harmful defects to the baby. These harmful
defects includes Deformed facial features, Abnormal joints and
limbs, Poor coordination, Problems with learning, Short memories
etc. till date nobody knows exactly how much alcohol is required to
cause these problems. But we know that these alcohol-related birth
defects are 100-percent preventable, simply by not drinking alcohol
during pregnancy. The safest course for women who are pregnant or
trying to become pregnant is not to drink alcohol at all.
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is a type of serious health problem
which defects the mental and physical behaviors of some of the
unborn babies when the mother these babies drinks too much alcohol
during pregnancy. A baby born under these conditions may become
handicapped and require a lifetime special care. Babies born under
alcohol-related birth defects such as smaller body size, lower birth
weight, and other impairments will not have all of the classic FAS
symptoms. These symptoms are sometimes referred to as Fetal Alcohol
Effects (FAE).
When a pregnant woman drinks alcohol it reaches the baby via the
bloodstream. In the unborn baby’s immature body, alcohol is broken
down much more slowly than in an adult’s body. As a result, the
alcohol level of the baby’s blood can be even higher and can remain
elevated longer than the level in the mother’s blood. This sometimes
causes the baby to suffer lifelong damage. Some experts recommend
not to drink at all during the pregnancy. Others suggest occasional
drinking.
Alcohol consumption during pregnancy may
result in
• Miscarriage or stillbirth
• Premature delivery
• Mental retardation of the baby
• A baby who is small for gestational age
• Baby may die in infancy
• Malformations of the eyes, nose, or mouth
• Malformation of the heart or other vital organs
• Slow growth and poor coordination
• A restless, overactive baby that may later exhibit hyperactive
behavior and learning disabilities
If a pregnant woman has one or two drinks
before she realizes she is pregnant, can it harm the baby?
It is doubtful that the occasional drink a woman takes before she
realizes she is pregnant will harm her baby. The baby’s brain and
other organs begin developing around the third week of pregnancy,
however, and are susceptible to damage in these early weeks. Because
no amount of alcohol is proven safe, a woman should stop drinking
immediately if she even suspects she could be pregnant, and she
should abstain from all alcohol if attempting to become pregnant.
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