Alcohol is present in our day to day. What if the noon beer, a wine with lunch or a drink to relax when leaving work. Its consumption is so normalized that even being pregnant, many women continue to consume it, because, "for a little drink nothing is going to happen."
And we continue to think that the occasional consumption of alcohol does not affect the baby in formation at all. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is more than proven that alcohol crosses the placental barrier and reaches the baby's circulatory system, producing negative effects on its development. Obviously, it is not the same to consume alcohol on a daily basis than to have a drink very from time to time, but you should know that there is no consensus to establish a safe amount of alcohol during pregnancy. Therefore, when in doubt, it is best to avoid it altogether.
How does alcohol affect your baby?
When you have a drink, so does your baby. Alcohol quickly reaches your circulatory system through the placenta and umbilical cord. Also, your body is unable to metabolize ethanol, so it cannot reduce its toxic effects.
What problems can my baby have if I drink alcohol?
- During preconception and the first trimester, the risk of miscarriage and malformations increases.
- Premature birth.
- Growth deficiency that can be recovered if consumption is stopped completely.
- Disorders in the development of the central nervous system can cause cognitive problems such as hyperactivity, inattention and learning disorders.
- Malformations in the bones of the face and in different body organs.
- Syndrome of sudden infant death.
Of all the disorders caused by alcohol, the most serious is Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). This is characterized by causing permanent physical and mental damage in babies whose mothers consumed alcohol during pregnancy. Children with FAS have especially small heads and brains, abnormal facial features, problems with sucking and sleeping, shorter than normal stature, low IQ, hyperactivity, and difficulty paying attention. It can also be associated with heart, kidney or bone problems.
As you see, the best is avoid alcohol during preconception, pregnancy and lactation. You have not set a consumption limit that can be considered safe. Therefore, when in doubt, zero consumption. If you are pregnant and do not feel able to quit, ask your doctor or midwife for help.