A new report from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) categorically states that a woman should not consume alcohol during pregnancy and that “no amount of alcohol should be considered safe to drink during any trimester of pregnancy.”
Maternal drinking is a rising problem around the world. In the USA, alcohol use and binge drinking is prevalent in 10% of women in childbearing age. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs) are a range of disorders that occur when a fetus is exposed to alcohol during gestation. When a pregnant woman drinks alcohol, it passes from the mother’s blood to the fetus through the umbilical cord, exposing the developing fetus to the ill effects of alcohol.
According to a recent survey by the Substance Abuse And Mental Health Services Administration, USA, 18% of women reported drinking alcohol during the first trimester of pregnancy and some continue to drink throughout pregnancy. When a woman drinks alcohol during the first trimester of pregnancy, she increases the likelihood of a child with FASDs by 12 fold; the number goes up to 61 fold when a woman drinks alcohol in the first two trimesters and to 65 times likelihood when she drinks in all three trimesters.
Since a fetus continues to develop physically as well as in the brain and related nerve circuitry throughout pregnancy, the consequences of a mother’s drinking could be physical abnormalities in a child, as well as compromised neurocognitive functions. Some potential abnormalities in a child born with FASDs are listed below:
Reportedly, it is not easy to treat FASDs, although early intervention and therapy could help mitigate some of the problems and symptoms. However, some reports state that because the effects of FASDs last throughout one’s life, an individual with FASDs is unlikely to lead a completely independent life. Beginning in the teenage years, those suffering from FASDs potentially become prone to drug and alcohol abuse, aggressive behavior, and depression.
Given the multitude of problems a person with FASDs could face, the solution to avoiding FASDs seems rather simple and rooted in common sense. “The research suggests that the smartest choice for women who are pregnant is to just abstain from alcohol completely,” says the lead author, Dr. Williams, in the AAP Press report.
Written by Mangala Sarkar, Ph.D.
Primary References
Williams, J., & Smith, V. (2015). Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. Pediatrics. doi:10.1542/peds.2015-3113
AAP Says No Amount of Alcohol Should be Considered Safe During Pregnancy. (n.d.). Retrieved October 21, 2015, from https://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/Pages/AAP-Says-No-Amount-of-Alcohol-Should-be-Considered-Safe-During-Pregnancy.aspx
Additional References
Maternal Risk Factors for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Not As Simple As It Might Seem. (n.d.). Retrieved October 22, 2015, from http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh341/15-26.htm
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. (2015, July 27). Retrieved October 22, 2015, from http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fasd/
Survey finds ongoing concerns with alcohol use during pregnancy - January 2014. (n.d.). Retrieved October 22, 2015, from http://fasdcenter.samhsa.gov/askTheExpert/Jan2014.aspx
May, P., Blankenship, J., Marais, A., Gossage, J., Kalberg, W., Joubert, B., . . . Seedat, S. (2013). Maternal alcohol consumption producing fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD): Quantity, frequency, and timing of drinking. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 133(2), 502-512.
Facts about FASDs. (2015, April 16). Retrieved October 22, 2015, from http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fasd/facts.html
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). (n.d.). Retrieved October 22, 2015, from http://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/en/healthaz/conditionsanddiseases/brainandnervoussystemdisorders/pages/fetal-alcohol-spectrum-disorder-fasd.aspx
and connect with fellow professionals
At DoveMed, our utmost priority is your well-being. We are an online medical resource dedicated to providing you with accurate and up-to-date information on a wide range of medical topics. But we're more than just an information hub - we genuinely care about your health journey. That's why we offer a variety of products tailored for both healthcare consumers and professionals, because we believe in empowering everyone involved in the care process.
Our mission is to create a user-friendly healthcare technology portal that helps you make better decisions about your overall health and well-being. We understand that navigating the complexities of healthcare can be overwhelming, so we strive to be a reliable and compassionate companion on your path to wellness.
As an impartial and trusted online resource, we connect healthcare seekers, physicians, and hospitals in a marketplace that promotes a higher quality, easy-to-use healthcare experience. You can trust that our content is unbiased and impartial, as it is trusted by physicians, researchers, and university professors around the globe. Importantly, we are not influenced or owned by any pharmaceutical, medical, or media companies. At DoveMed, we are a group of passionate individuals who deeply care about improving health and wellness for people everywhere. Your well-being is at the heart of everything we do.
0 Comments
Please log in to post a comment.