Although the Canadian government warns that there is no safe amount of alcohol to drink during pregnancy, many women still do.
This is more than likely because there is so much conflicting information about the effects of alcohol of unborn babies. Some sources say that small and occasional quantities are perfectly safe once you’re three months into your pregnancy while others advise against drinking completely, regardless of how far gone you are.
Although researchers can’t seem to agree on what’s a safe amount of alcohol to consume during pregnancy, the effects of alcohol on unborn babies is well-documented and should be seriously considered if you’re expecting.
Miscarriage
Drinking alcohol, especially in the first three months of pregnancy, increases the risk of miscarriage, premature birth and your baby having a low birth weight. Naturally, the risks are greater the more you drink. Women who think they may have a drinking problem are strongly encouraged to seek alcohol addiction treatment as soon as possible.
The brain
When you drink alcohol while pregnant, it passes from your blood, through the placenta and to your baby.
The problem is that a baby’s liver is one of the last organs to develop and doesn’t mature until the later stages of pregnancy. This means that naturally, your baby cannot process alcohol as well as you can. It’s for this very reason why too much exposure to alcohol can seriously affect development.
While many women believe that drinking once they’ve passed the three-month mark is safe, doing so can affect your baby after they’re born. Even small amounts of alcohol can affect a developing baby’s brain which means that they might suffer from learning difficulties and behavioral problems.
Some women are affected more than others
Researchers don’t know enough about the potential effects of drinking alcohol at particular times during pregnancy to be able to say that any time is unquestionably safe. It’s also difficult to predict the impact of drinking on any given pregnancy because some women have higher levels of the enzyme which breaks down alcohol.
David Garry, DO, associate professor of clinical obstetrics and gynecology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and chair of the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Task Force for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists District II/NY commented:
“If a pregnant woman with low levels of this enzyme drinks, her baby may be more susceptible to harm because the alcohol may circulate in her body for a longer period of time.”
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)
Believe it or not, even just one drink is enough to give an unborn baby a high alcohol blood concentration. This means that your child will lack the oxygen and nutrients it needs in order for their brain to develop in a healthy way – this is particularly problematic for women who need alcohol addiction treatment.
Frequently drinking during pregnancy can lead to serious long-term consequences including Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Children born with the condition frequently have distinctive facial features including small and narrow eyes, a small head, a smooth area between the nose and lips and a thin upper lip.
Sadly, it doesn’t just affect babies physically. FASD can lead to devastating and long-term problems including:
- Hearing problems
- Mouth, teeth and facial problems
- A weak immune system
- Epilepsy
- Liver damage
- Heart and kidney defects
- Cerebral palsy and other muscular problems
- Height and weight issues
- Hormonal disorders
If you think that you or someone you know may have an alcohol addiction and would like to speak to someone about alcohol addiction Toronto, please feel free to contact us in the strictest of confidence and we will be more than happy to help.
