The Hazards of Drinking While Pregnant

By Julie Xillion

Consuming alcohol when pregnant has substantial risks to the pregnant mother. Unfortunately, statistics reveal that in this area twelve percent of women in the United States consume at a little when pregnant and approximately 2 percent binge-drink. Earlier this year the Center for Disease Control reiterated that those percentages have not changed significantly in the more than 18 years. From a the standpoint of good health, drinking when pregnant can genuinely effect development of the baby and the ensuing fetal alcohol syndrome may well take a generation of intensive therapy to control.

Drinking When Pregnant

Grown of alcohol when pregnant in essence supplies toxin into the developing baby which may effect his or her development. A lot of women however, decide to drink a flute of alcohol during pregnancy or infrequently consume one or two drinks. While the risk of impairment may be less with a smaller amount frequent consumption, scientists have not yet found out what, if any, amount of alcohol consumption is safe for the pregnant mom. As a result, there is almost universal agreement that expecting mothers should avoid drinking alcohol during pregnancy.

Nutrients and Vitamins May Help While Pregnant

For those moms who are unsuccessfully fighting alcohol addiction, there may be some hope on the horizon. A study being prepared in SDSU is looking at the effects of drinking alcohol on 600 expecting mothers in the Ukraine. The study is looking at the nutrient choline to predict the effect, if any, it may have on the expecting mothers and their children. In looking at the quote form the AP press release that announced the drinking while pregnant study.

"Nutrition plays a powerful role in proper development of the brain and nervous system: Getting enough folate during pregnancy, for example, can prevent spina bifida and related birth defects. And significant alcohol consumption interferes with mom's ability to absorb various nutrients, in turn affecting whether her fetus gets enough. So Thomas' group tested choline, a precursor to a brain chemical that plays a key role in learning. She exposed pregnant rats to alcohol during a third-trimester spurt of brain growth. Giving the mother rats extra choline - or, importantly, giving newborn pups the nutrient - significantly improved the pups' later ability to learn."

In addition to choline, zinc and a few other nutrients and minerals are being looked at to determine if they have an effect on these conditions. The best advice however, is to still have a healthy and varied diet. When pregnant, take care of your health, eat right, avoid toxins, and enjoy your pregnancy.

Total refrain from alcohol is the best approach to ensuring that drinking liquor does not affect the baby. In addition to nutrition status, genetics, and levels of consumption, there are numerous other factors that determine if drinking alcohols during pregnancy will affect the baby. With all those variables, and the risk of an objectionable outcome, why risk it?

About the Author: