Alcohol During Pregnancy: A Combination Best Avoided

Alcohol consumption during pregnancy is known to cause a lot of issues for the mother and the baby. However, a lot of women wonder if it’s okay to drink some wine or a little bit of champagne on a special occasion. Some doctors may suggest you avoid alcohol completely, and some others may tell you that light drinking is probably not going to cause any harm. Your family and friends may have mixed opinions on this too (1). So, how do you decide?

When people say that a little bit of alcohol is okay, they really don’t know how much. There is no scientific research that proves that a certain amount of alcohol is safe for sure. Also, researchers do not have enough material to say that alcohol consumption during any particular time during pregnancy is completely safe. It’s a risky thing to do if you think about it. Also, it’s very important to realize the difference between individual human bodies. This means that you cannot consume alcohol just because your friend said she did and her baby was totally fine (2).

The level of the enzyme that breaks down alcohol in our body varies from person to person. Pregnant women who have lower levels of this enzyme will take more time to synthesize the alcohol content in their body. This means that the baby is going to be exposed to the alcohol content for a longer period of time, and can get harmed easily (3).

Women who have certain health issues like liver diseases should be extra cautious when consuming alcohol during their pregnancy. Also, if you have a history of addiction or if you’re on medication that may conflict with alcohol, you should consider talking to your doctor even before taking a sip (4). In case you aren’t able to control your urge to consume alcohol while you’re pregnant, talk to your doctor or a counselor.

Possible Consequences Of Alcohol During Pregnancy

According to research, pregnant women who consume alcohol put their child at risk of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). FASD can cause a lot of problems for your child, like learning disabilities, delay in speech and picking up a language, smaller head size, and unusual facial features (5).

Alcohol consumption during pregnancy can cause minor cardiac abnormalities in babies. If the mother drinks alcohol during the early stages of pregnancy, the child may be prone to neural tube defects. Maternal alcohol consumption is also connected to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). As your children grow up to become adults, they are prone to psychiatric disorders like somatoform problems, substance dependence, paranoia, passive-aggressive nature, and antisocial issues (6).

Ethanol causes oxidative stress since it can mediate the production and activity of endogenous antioxidants in certain organs like the cerebellum and placenta. This type of oxidative stress that originates due to alcohol consumption is found to increase lipid peroxidation and damage protein and DNA in the body. A study conducted in mice showed that alcohol affects prostaglandins. This means that it has an indirect effect on the development of the fetus and parturition. Another study conducted on rats and mice found that alcohol consumption affects the hippocampus, cerebellum and neural crest cells along with a higher number of cell death (7).

While moderate alcohol consumption is an ongoing debate between doctors, we can suggest you play it safe. As there is no scientific proof that says a particular amount of alcohol is okay for you, you should try not to take that risk. Pregnancy is a very short period of time when you compare that to your lifelong bond with your child. We’re sure you wouldn’t want to risk their health because you did something knowing that it isn’t 100% safe.

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