If alcohol consumption is not adequate and in moderation, it can be harmful to a healthy person to the extent that it has a narcotic effect. It has a wide range of damaging effects, from adversely affecting brain function to increasing the risk of cancer, gastritis and ulcers to liver damage. So how correct is it to consume alcohol during pregnancy, which is so harmful to a normal individual? Does alcohol consumption during pregnancy harm the body?
Is Alcohol Use Safe in Pregnancy?
Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is a condition that occurs in babies of mothers who drink alcohol during pregnancy. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can cause physical impairment, intellectual disability, learning disabilities, visual impairment and behavioral problems in the baby. These problems may vary from child to child, but in general the risk of developing a disorder is high and the problems that do occur are irreversible.
If alcohol is consumed during the first trimester of pregnancy and alcohol intake is stopped after this period, the baby is 12 times more likely to develop FASD (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder) than a mother-to-be who has never consumed alcohol. In addition, if the expectant mother consumes alcohol regularly during the second trimester of pregnancy, the likelihood of FASD increases 61-fold, and 65-fold if alcohol is consumed regularly during the entire pregnancy. This means that a mother who consumes alcohol throughout her pregnancy is 65 times more likely to have a baby with FASD than a mother who never consumes alcohol.
Considering all these details, we can say that alcohol has no safe limit during pregnancy. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy is always risky for the baby and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders will not occur if alcohol is not consumed. The only way to prevent these alcohol-related syndromes is not to consume alcohol in any form. This risk applies to all alcoholic beverages such as beer, wine and raki. If you are a regular drinker, stopping alcohol as soon as you know you are pregnant will also reduce the risk of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. However, in order to avoid this risk, it is safest and right to stop drinking alcohol completely from the moment you become pregnant, and your baby will be born healthier without fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.
