Drinking Alcohol During Pregnancy

Is sharing a few drinks while pregnant with family and friends on a special occasion okay?

” There is no known safe amount of alcohol or safe time to drink while pregnant.” – Centers For Disease Control and Prevention

Dr Tara Allmen, ObGyn, suggests avoiding alcohol during pregnancy. There are numerous studies that have determined the dangers of alcohol to a fetus, especially during the first trimester. Dr Allmen states that in the 2nd or 3rd trimesters, alcohol can be less dangerous, but hard liquors like tequila, scotch, gin and vodka should be avoided at all costs. IF someone chooses to drink while they are pregnant then Dr Allmen says to limit yourself to a half a glass of wine.

Now, a lot of research has established the harmful effects of drinking on women and the damage this can do to their health and lifestyle. However, according to the newest studies, drinking when a woman is pregnant can create severe risks for the unborn child and the many complications can even lead to death.

A recent Medical Express report highlighted what happens when a pregnant woman engages in the consumption of alcoholic beverages. Whether it is drinking for pleasure or due to alcoholism, the risk of SIDS or sudden infant death syndrome and infant mortality not related to SIDS increases.

4.5 percent of women between the ages 18 and 24 reported drinking while pregnant.

These risks were assessed by a team of researchers at the University of Western Australia based on international data to identify women with alcohol diagnosis and matching them with those without the diagnosis based on the race, age and year of birth for their children. The research established that there was a higher risk of SIDS when a maternal alcohol diagnosis was present or issued in the baby’s first year of life. Further, babies of mothers who abused alcohol during their pregnancy were about seven times more likely to die from SIDS than the babies of mothers without an alcohol-use disorder. The risk of death for causes other than SIDS in these babies was also quite high.

40% of babies whose mothers were dependent on alcohol while they were pregnant experienced multiple health issues which included:

• Prematurity
• Poor growth in the womb
• Slow growth
• Congenital heart disease

60% of infants born to women heavily dependent on alcohol face other environmental dangers such as:

• Cigarette Smoke
• Dehydration
• Viral infections
• Neglect

Women addicted to alcohol are putting not only their own health but also that of their newborns at great risk. Most doctors recommend total abstinence from alcohol during pregnancy.

If you or someone close to you is struggling with alcohol addiction then you should highly consider an alcohol treatment program. Today there are several drug and alcohol rehab centers throughout the country helping individuals overcome their alcoholism.

More resources on the effects of alcohol during pregnancy:

• CDC

• Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is Preventable