Consuming alcohol during pregnancy can seriously endanger the pregnancy itself and the health of the fetus. However, not all women seem to have a clear understanding of this. According to a recent survey by Doxa, 1 out of 3 consumers do not stop consuming alcohol after discovering they are pregnant. The remaining 2 out of 3 do not stop drinking when trying to conceive but only stop after learning that they are pregnant.
What risks do you expose the fetus to if you consume alcohol during pregnancy?
“The fetus is not protected from the alcohol consumed by the mother, it can not metabolize it and then suffers the damaging effects on the brain and tissues that are in the making,” says Dr. Annamaria Baggiani, head of the Service of Female Infertility and Reproductive Medically Assisted Fertility Center of Humanitas.
“Therefore the alcohol can affect fetal development and cause diseases included in the spectrum of fetal alcohol disorders. The most serious – says the specialist – is definitely fetal alcohol syndrome that may arise as a result of a high consumption of alcohol. The syndrome may occur with varying degrees of severity and expression. The most typical features include alteration of certain facial features such as the eyes and nose, growth retardation, with values below the average height and weight, as well as cognitive and behavioral abnormalities of the unborn.
“Among other diseases included in fetal alcohol disorders are neuro-developmental disorders, and alcohol-related birth defects. In the first case, the unborn child may experience functional or mental problems, such as some behavioral problems and learning disabilities. In the latter, problems may occur which affect the heart, bones or heard”.
What is your advice to anyone thinking of having a child or is pregnant?
“Not to drink. Any amount of alcohol you take can directly damage the fetus at all stages of pregnancy, from conception,” says Dr. Annamaria Baggiani.
