Pregnancy And Baby Care Articles During Pregnancy

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...of any alcohol a week it is less risky than drinking higher amount of alcohol in the same time.

When a pregnant woman drinks alcohol it mixes in her blood stream and then reaches the baby through the placenta. Since the fetus is still in the process of developing its physical and mental organs the alcohol mixing in its blood and take time to get broken down. As a result the alcohol remains in the blood for a longer time which leads to a lot of complications in the natural growth process. If a pregnant woman drinks high amount of alcohol during pregnancy the baby will develop a syndrome called fetal alcohol syndrome. This syndrome can cause defects like low birth weight, problem in learning, abnormal facial features, damage to the central nervous system, an abnormally small head, brain and heart. It could also have a deformed spine and defects that include mental retardation, delays in physical development, vision and hearing problems along with a variety of behavioral problems.

There is the risk of having a miscarriage, premature delivery and a still born baby. If a pregnant woman drinks in the second and third trimester the risk is lesser than in the first trimester. There are cases where children are born physically healthy but are affected much later in their lives if the mother drank during pregnancy. There have been cases where children have been found with intellectual impairment, have very disturbed sleep patterns, trouble in learning and concentration, some are also found to have problems in controlling their aggressiveness and similar behavioral disorders.

So it is highly recommended to give up alcohol during pregnancy for the best of your unborn child's health and future. Always remember there is no such thing as a safe time to drink alcohol during pregnancy.

Read more articles from the During Pregnancy Category.