Although we do not know how much alcohol it takes to harm the baby growing inside you, experts agree that it is best not to drink at all during pregnancy.| | Fact:
Alcohol consumption has the greatest effect during early pregnancy because many of your baby's vital organs are developing. | | |
Not only does alcohol increase your chance of a miscarriage and delivering a preterm baby, alcohol abuse is the leading cause of mental retardation in babies.
When you drink alcohol, it quickly reaches your little one, so the same amount of alcohol that is in your blood will be in your baby's blood. As an adult, your liver can break down the alcohol you drink, but your baby's liver is not developed enough to do this.
Therefore, alcohol is much more harmful to your little one than it is to you. The more you drink during pregnancy, the greater the danger it poses to your child. Heavy drinking during pregnancy can result in fetal alcohol syndrome—a disorder characterized by major physical, mental, and behavior problems. Smoking, drug use, and a poor diet can also contribute to the problems that a baby with fetal alcohol syndrome has.
| | Fact:
No types of alcohol are considered safe to drink. A beer, a shot of liquor, a mixed drink, or a glass of wine all potentially can be harmful to your baby. | | |
Babies with fetal alcohol syndrome can have small bodies, problems with joints and limbs (known as clubfoot), heart defects, abnormal facial features, behavior problems—such as hyperactivity, anxiety, poor attention span, and low IQs. Some babies with the syndrome exhibit all these signs while others only have one or two.
If you have had a drink or two before you knew you were pregnant, chances are it did not harm your baby. But you should stop drinking now.
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