Pregnancy and Alcohol

During pregnancy, you may need to temporarily suspend some of your normal habits. For example, alcohol consumption is one of the habits that should be stopped. Alcohol has strong teratogenic effects (causing anomalies and harming the baby). Regardless of how much or how little you consume alcohol, alcohol consumed during pregnancy will harm your baby's health.

Pregnancy and Alcohol Use

While some expectant mothers may think a few glasses of alcohol occasionally is harmless, I strongly recommend avoiding alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Because alcohol is a teratogenic substance that can easily cross the placenta and harm the fetus, its consumption during pregnancy can lead to very serious consequences. Alcohol consumed during pregnancy can cause miscarriage, stillbirths, and developmental delays in the baby. In addition, it can lead to intellectual disability or developmental defects in the head and face. Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), which develops when the baby is exposed to alcohol in the womb, can lead to a variety of syndromes, from learning problems to various birth defects.

The toxic effects of alcohol on the fetus can also lead to problems such as learning disabilities, speech difficulties, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the baby after birth. Regular consumption of one or two glasses of alcohol per day throughout pregnancy is enough for all of these problems to occur.

Recommendations for Pregnant Women Who Consume Alcohol

Considering the negative effects alcohol can have on the baby, the ideal recommendation is to avoid alcohol consumption entirely during pregnancy. However, occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, or other events may necessitate alcohol consumption. While a glass of wine, a couple of sips of champagne, or a small beer might seem harmless in such situations, the potential harm to the baby is directly proportional to the amount of alcohol consumed. Therefore, even on these special occasions, alcohol should be avoided.

If you are a regular drinker and consumed alcohol before learning you were pregnant, you shouldn't panic. You should stop drinking alcohol from now on and discuss the matter with your doctor as soon as possible. However, by ceasing alcohol consumption from the moment you decide to have a baby, you can avoid all these difficulties and enjoy your pregnancy with peace of mind.