Effects/Dangers of Alcohol in Pregnancy: Why Pregnant Women must Avoid Alcohol
There is a myth around here that Alcohol in Pregnancy, like “Guiness Stout” gives iron and that most doctors prescribed it. Please, no doctor prescribes Guiness Stout or any Alcohol in Pregnancy.
Guiness Stout has an “iron” component of just 0.3mg but a pregnant woman needs 27mg of iron everyday. Besides, Alcohol in Pregnancy can do a lot of damage to the unborn child, unless you want your unborn son to become a drunkard, even before he’s born.
It has always been mentioned severally that pregnant women should stay away from alcohol, smoking and a lot of other things for the sake of there child, but many don’t know why.
Let us talk about the Effects of Alcohol in Pregnancy.
The Mother-Child Connection
The unborn child is connected to the mother through the PLACENTA. The placenta is an organ that is created to pass food and nutrients to the baby from the mother’s blood through the UMBLICAL CORD. So through this placenta, whatever food, drugs or vitamins that the mother takes in, the baby also gets some of it.
So in summary, if the mother gets high on alcohol in pregnancy, the baby gets high too through the placenta.
So Is There Anything Wrong In Having A HIGH Baby?
A baby’s liver is one of the last organs to develop and does not mature until towards the 3rd trimester (last 3 months of pregnancy).
The liver is the organ of the body that processes alcohol, and removes it from the body before it becomes toxic (poison) to the body.
Due to the immature liver of the baby, the baby’s body cannot process and detoxify the alcohol that comes in like the mother’s body will, as, she has a well developed liver.
Dangers Of Alcohol In Pregnancy?
The following dangers of Alcohol in Pregnancy can result in the baby, following the consumption of large amounts of liquor:
- Facial defect: the child can have an abnormal face/looks with one or more defects.
- Small head size: this is known medically as Microcephaly. The child may have a small head in comparison to others.
- Shorter than average height: just like the head size, the child may be shorter than others of the same age.
- Low body weight: the child may weigh less than others of the same age.
- Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: This is a condition that causes brain damage and growth problems in children of mothers that took alcohol when pregnant. Read more about this here.
Others are:
- Poor Coordination
- Poor memory
- Learning disabilities
- Speech and language delays
- Low IQ
- Vision and hearing problems
- Problems with heart, kidney and bones
- Sleep and sucking problems as a baby
- Miscarriage
- Death: Child could just die.
Do not forget, no amount of alcohol is alright in pregnancy. For your child’s sake, leave alcohol of any type!
Intending pregnant women and already pregnant women, you already know. Say no to alcohol in pregnancy. Please don’t risk your unborn baby’s life drinking alcohol. This is all in addition to the numerous adverse effects it has on you as a mother. The iron you need in pregnancy is in the Routine Drugs not guiness stout please!
Remain Blessed.
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