Pregnancy Week by Week

Drinking during pregnancy of any type alcoholic beverage is not recommended. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Academy of Pediatrics even if you are trying to conceive you should play it safe and not drink alcohol or beverages with an alcoholic content. When you drink alcohol goes into your bloodstream, circulates through your body, goes through the placenta, and finally goes to your baby. A baby is not able to process alcohol as quickly as an adult and the result is that alcohol will remain in the bloodstream of an infant for a greater length of time.

Drinking during pregnancy causes many harmful things to take place in the developing child. There is a risk of miscarriage and a risk of having a baby that is born but not alive. If you limit your alcohol intake to one drink per day you will still have a chance of having a child who does not weigh as much as he should. You also risk having a child with developmental disorders and a child at risk of having problems learning. Your child could suffer from speech problems, have a short attention span, be hyperactive and have trouble comprehending language. If you limit your intake to one drink per week you may still be causing harm to your developing child. Some studies have shown that as little as this one drink per week can cause a child to be more aggressive and have behavior that is considered delinquent.

One of the diseases caused by drinking during pregnancy is called fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). This is a catch all diagnoses that covers a group of problems that arise when a mother drinks while impregnated. Growth of the fetus and the child will be stunted. There can be readily identifiable features in the face of a child and there can be damage done to the central nervous system of these children. The damage to the central nervous system can include different degrees of retardation, vision and hearing limitations, behavioral issues and delays in development.

If you had some alcoholic beverages before you knew that you were expecting a child don’t chastise yourself too strongly. You must now focus on getting a balanced diet full of the nutrients that you know will help you have a child who is healthy and strong. You need to avoid alcoholic beverages and even those that are non-alcoholic by label. Even those have a slight content of alcohol and consuming them can be dangerous to your growing child, as well. If you feel you must be drinking during pregnancy, be sure to do so in extreme moderation.