Can you drink alcohol in early pregnancy? Bad habits of the expectant mother: why alcohol is harmful during pregnancy

The body of a pregnant woman works for two. A new life, which is only developing and preparing for independent existence, requires a special reverent attitude. Nature took care of this, protecting the life growing in the womb in every possible way: directing the work of mother's immunity to protect it, supplying all the necessary nutrients from the common circulatory system of mother and baby.

And what does the woman herself do? Eat right and take care of your health! But this is ideal! And if the expectant mother does not want to give up her habits that she had before pregnancy and change her usual way of life? This is not about sports and work, but about drinking alcohol.

Alcohol is the enemy of new life

There is an opinion that alcohol in small doses is completely incapable of harming. A small dose of red dry wine for a pregnant woman is supposedly useful: it increases hemoglobin and appetite. Can a child have a drink? The process of drinking alcohol by a pregnant woman can be compared to her joint meal with her child: she divides this dose into two.

Ethanol and its breakdown products are strong toxic substances that act at the cellular level. These substances act on absolutely all membranes, tissues and internal organs of the embryo. There are hormonal and metabolic disorders.

At that moment, when alcohol enters the blood of a woman, the child also receives a dose. But if a woman receives a small dose relative to her body weight, an embryo weighing less than three kilograms will receive a giant drink.

If the mother gets drunk for a while and after a while forgets about this condition, the embryo will receive severe poisoning, as a result of which serious changes can occur in its forming organs, which in some cases even lead to its death.

Irreparable consequences

Even small doses of a low-alcohol drink can lead to the development of intrauterine alcoholism syndrome, which will affect the developing embryo as follows:

The occurrence of maxillofacial defects: hypoplasia of the cheekbones; sloping chin; narrowing of the eye fissures; strabismus; paralysis of the muscles of the upper eyelid; short upper lip "hare lip"; anomalous structure of the sky.
The formation of a beveled nape and a small head;
The birth of a child with low weight;
Violation of physical development: disproportionate physique, low or excessively high growth, inappropriate for body weight;
Deformation of the chest, joints (arms do not bend at the elbows), underdevelopment of the hip joints; the absence of fingers and toes or their incorrect formation;
Pathological changes in the nervous system: microcephaly of the brain (underdevelopment); incomplete fusion of the spinal canal;
Abnormal formation of internal organs, most often to heart disease, genital disorders.

These are not all pathologies that can develop in a fetus diagnosed with alcohol syndrome. The worst thing is that it happens quite often. The misconception of many pregnant women that alcohol in small doses will not harm the fetus has led to such terrible numbers: in women who drink alcohol during pregnancy, childbirth in 20% of cases ends in the death of the newborn, since the baby's congenital pathologies are not compatible with life. While among pregnant women who do not drink alcohol, this figure is ten times less.

A woman who drinks has impaired functioning of some organs: the liver, the heart, the pancreas, and the nervous system. All these pathologies also affect the health of the child.

If alcohol enters the circulatory system of the mother and fetus, then oxygen and nutrients are delivered more slowly, and metabolic processes become more difficult.

Talking about the acceptable dose of alcohol during pregnancy is absolutely meaningless. The fact is that such a dose does not exist. A woman who wants to give birth to a healthy child should completely exclude alcohol at the stage of planning a baby.

In anticipation of the birth of a new life

When planning a pregnancy, alcohol should be excluded from both future parents: otherwise, conception may simply not occur, and if it does happen, then in rare cases the development of pathologies in the fetus can be avoided. The fact is that:

In the male body, the renewal of the composition of sperm occurs 1 time in 2-3 months. Spermatozoa mature, live and contain those substances that have entered the blood of a man during this entire period.
The eggs, on the other hand, mature in the ovaries for a month, they are stored with substances that have entered the female body during this entire period.

Drawing a conclusion from these facts, it is worth noting: the sooner alcohol toxins are removed from the body before the conception of a child, the less health problems the future offspring will have. It is advisable to stop drinking alcoholic beverages at least six months before conception.

However, planned pregnancy is very rare and in most cases conception occurs after a romantic evening with a glass or two of wine. If intoxication has not occurred in the body of the expectant mother, then problems with fetal pathology can be avoided. During the period of conception and before the introduction of a fertilized egg into the wall of the uterus, the fetus is protected by special natural mechanisms. But this does not mean that it is guaranteed that the development of diseases in the baby can be avoided.

Conceived while intoxicated

Unfortunately, in children conceived in a state of alcoholic intoxication, pathologies of the nervous system, mental disorders occur ten times more often. The dispute of scientists from different countries about the effect of alcohol on male sperm has been going on for a long time. Many argue that fetal pathologies are not related to the glass taken before conception by the future father. After all, the process of sperm maturation takes about three months.

Recent scientific studies have confirmed the fact that alcohol begins to act on sperm immediately after it enters the bloodstream. In the semen of a healthy, non-alcoholic man, up to 25% of pathological spermatozoa are present, they do not take part in conception and die.

After taking any alcoholic drink, the number of such spermatozoa increases, which leads to the fact that the egg is fertilized by a pathological spermatozoon. As a result, the fetus has various genetic disorders: the number of chromosomes changes. For this reason, a child may be born with diseases such as Down syndrome, Patau, mental retardation.

The egg matures for a month, alcohol can affect its quality. However, wine drunk by a woman on the eve of conception will do much less harm than alcohol taken by a man.

As for the period from the moment of conception, then the responsibility for the health of the fetus lies entirely with the mother, as in the remaining months of pregnancy.

After conception has occurred, nature begins to follow this principle: either a healthy embryo or none. That is, in the period up to 3 months, only a healthy embryo is able to survive. If pathological changes occur, then the embryo dies and a miscarriage occurs.

What does alcohol lead to

A woman who takes alcohol during pregnancy faces the following problems:

Drinking a glass of alcohol, even in a small amount at an early date, often leads to a miscarriage.
Excessive alcohol consumption causes fetal malformations.
Chronic drunkenness leads to fetal alcohol syndrome.
Even moderate consumption of low-alcohol drinks leads to brain disorders in the fetus. The sad fact is that these changes cannot be detected during pregnancy. They appear much later after the birth of the baby.
When alcohol enters the mother's blood, the liver cells of the embryo, its vascular system, heart and brain are affected. As a result, the child will develop brain disorders in the future.
In addition to alcohol, narcotic drugs, psychotropic, analgesic and anticonvulsant drugs affect the development of pathologies in a baby.
A mother who is addicted to alcohol damages her eggs, causing genetic changes in the fetus, which can lead to its death or the development of serious diseases.
A baby born in a family where frequent alcohol consumption is accepted lags behind his peers in physical and mental development, his immunity is weakened, he gets sick more often. And besides this, the baby has an innate need for alcohol - addiction.
A growing embryo can be harmed by many factors, the most harmful of which is alcohol.
Do not forget about the content of alcohol in some medicines. You need to read the composition of the product on the label and avoid the use of such products during pregnancy.

A pregnant woman should get used to the idea that she is responsible not only for her life, but also for the life inside her. It depends on the parents what the future life of this little man will be: happy and healthy or filled with suffering and pain.

The main thing to remember when planning a pregnancy is that no short-term pleasure is worth the life and health of the unborn child.

Video: how alcohol affects the development of the fetus in the womb

Doctors say that drinking alcohol and pregnancy are incompatible things. Negative impact addiction occurs even with a slight intake of alcoholic beverages. It is not recommended to drink alcohol during the lactation period.

Can pregnant women drink alcohol?

Expert opinion regarding the possibility of drinking alcohol during pregnancy are very different. Some argue that any amount of alcohol can cause irreparable harm to the health of the child. Others believe that from a small amount of wine or beer harmful effects will not be.

Each woman has the right to make her own decision regarding this issue. But it is desirable to get rid of possible risks as much as possible. The health of the baby is much more important than momentary weakness. Scientists have proven that pathology of fetal development can not be avoided if you regularly drink 75 grams of an alcoholic beverage. At a lower dosage, the risk of an unsuccessful outcome is reduced, but not significantly.

ON A NOTE! Regular consumption of alcoholic beverages leaves an imprint on the functioning of a woman's reproductive system. The quality of eggs decreases, the number of which is not replenished over time.

In the early stages

The bond between mother and child is established with moment of attachment of the embryo in the area of the uterus. In early pregnancy, the risk of miscarriage is much higher than in any other period. In the first trimester the baby is not yet protected from external influences by the placenta. His vulnerability obliges a woman to be sensitive to her body.

It is especially dangerous to take alcohol in the period from 7 to 12 weeks of position. At that time the brain is formed. If this process is affected, the child's ability to learn suffers. The work of the departments responsible for memory and functioning of the speech apparatus. The immune, cardiovascular and nervous systems also suffer.

IMPORTANT! At the stage of pregnancy planning, a man should also refuse to drink alcohol. This will increase the likelihood of successful conception and insure against the possibility of fetal fading.

At a later date

For more late terms important life support systems in the child are already formed. Some women believe that it is impossible to harm the baby with alcohol during this period. When ethanol enters the body of a woman, it also enters the child. In an adult small doses of alcohol cause a state of mild intoxication. The baby at this moment may develop acute toxic poisoning.

First of all, the gastrointestinal system, liver, kidneys and nervous system suffer. This contributes to the development of serious chronic diseases in future. When alcohol enters the body of a woman, the baby can develop hypoxia. This condition is life-threatening.

Often these children do not have a sucking reflex. They have difficulty swallowing. As a result, the baby does not receive enough nutrients from food. This leads to weight gain and inhibition of general development.

A drinking woman dooms her baby to become a "passive alcoholic". With repeated intake of ethyl alcohol in his body, dependence develops. As a result, the child is born capricious and painful. Regular drinking alcohol in the later stages is fraught with the following complications:

delivery before the due date;

miscarriage;

malformations;

suppression of the protective forces of the baby's body.

REFERENCE! Not in all cases, the negative effects of alcohol appear immediately. Most often, problems appear during the period of sexual development of the child.

What kind of alcohol can pregnant women?

It is believed that moderate consumption of certain alcoholic beverages during pregnancy will not harm the fetus. This claim is debatable. But some doctors do not prohibit taking low alcohol drinks. These include red wine, beer and champagne. It is believed that small doses allow a woman to relax, which has a beneficial effect on the gestation process.

In the event that a woman has nervous tension, it is not necessary to solve the problem by taking alcohol. There are alternative ways to restore the body's strength. Relaxing effect provides aromatherapy, breathing exercises, yoga, walking and hobbies.

Permissible dosage

Scientists have established the permissible dosage of alcohol during pregnancy. Allowed to take no more than 100 grams alcoholic beverages in Week. Preference should be given to drinks with a low alcohol content.

Despite the established boundaries of acceptable norms, you need to understand that no one is immune from the consequences. In medicine, there have been cases of a sad outcome, even with a small amount drunk alcohol.

IMPORTANT! Complete elimination of ethanol from the body is carried out in 24 days. During this time, he manages to penetrate the body of the baby.

Consequences of use

Ethanol, which enters the body of a pregnant woman, increases the likelihood of developmental abnormalities in the child. This is confirmed by experiments carried out on chicken embryos. Regular exposure to alcohol body of an unborn baby, its viability decreases. The main pathologies that have developed as a result of exposure to alcohol include:

heart defects;

visual impairment;

pathologies of the structure of the face (cleft lip, underdevelopment of the jaw, narrow eyes);

dropsy;

critical underweight;

defective development of the spinal canal;

deviations in the work of the joints;

microcephaly;

abnormal structure of internal organs;

developmental delay.

The probability of developing pathologies when using alcohol-containing products is 50%. Doctors consider this figure quite high. The excretion of ethanol from the baby's body is many times slower. At a time when a woman has already forgotten about drinking alcohol, the child may be in the womb unconscious.

If the desire to drink is too strong, the expectant mother can deceive the body. Beer can replace kvass, you can drink soda instead of champagne, and pomegranate or grape juice will be an alternative to wine. Do not forget that momentary weakness can ruin a life future child.

During pregnancy, a woman is responsible for herself and the developing child. His health after birth largely depends on the lifestyle of the expectant mother. Improper nutrition, unreasonable use of drugs can cause significant harm. But in terms of the effects of alcohol on the fetus during pregnancy, some believe that there are safe drinks and doses.

ethanol metabolism

Ethyl alcohol is widely distributed in nature. It is one of the natural metabolites in the metabolism of carbohydrates in the human body. Traces of ethanol are found in many fruits, some fermented milk products, kvass. But the concentrations are so small that they are not able to cause intoxication or have a harmful effect.

Ethanol is found in high concentrations in alcoholic beverages. After ingestion, it is rapidly absorbed in the stomach. It reaches its maximum concentration in the blood after 1-1.5 hours. Absorption rate is influenced by various factors:

high temperature of the drink;
the presence of gases;
sugar content;
empty stomach.

Blood carries ethanol to the organs, most of all to the muscles and brain. Smaller doses are given to bones and adipose tissue.

Neutralization of ethyl alcohol occurs in the liver. Specific enzymes help with this, the main one is alcohol dehydrogenase. Its content in the liver is not uniform, some people with alcohol intolerance have a lack of this enzyme. Excretion of metabolites occurs in the urine.

Influence on fertilization

It is precisely established how long before pregnancy you should not drink alcohol. Doctors recommend giving up alcohol 2-3 months before conception.

Fathers will have to take a similar step. In men, the harm of alcohol is manifested in the production of defective spermatozoa. Ethanol affects spermatogenesis, leads to the appearance of germ cells with a disturbed structure. They have reduced mobility and ability to fertilize.

In women before conception, small doses will not lead to disastrous consequences. The ban on use before conception is necessary so that in case of accidental fertilization ahead of schedule, the embryo is not exposed to harmful effects.

The consequences of drinking alcohol are manifested in the form of liver damage, fatty degeneration and the transition to cirrhosis. At the same time, the metabolism of sex hormones is disturbed, hyperestrogenism and infertility develop.

early term

Fertilization of the egg occurs within a day after ovulation. The zygote then begins the process of traveling through the fallopian tubes towards the uterine cavity. This takes several days. Implantation into the wall of the uterus occurs 7-10 days after fertilization. With the help of special enzymes, it splits the cells of the endometrium and sinks into it (read more about the introduction of the embryo into the uterine wall).

Until the moment of implantation, the egg is not connected with the woman's circulatory system. Its food comes from its own resources. After immersion in the endometrium, the egg is washed with blood and nourished by the destroyed vessels. Therefore, all substances that are in the blood of the mother directly affect the fetal egg.

Drinking alcohol during pregnancy affects the cellular, biochemical and molecular levels. Ethanol can lead to vasospasm, malnutrition of the embryo and spontaneous miscarriage in a short time. The uterus is a muscular organ, so the concentration of ethyl alcohol in it will be the maximum possible.

In the first weeks of gestation, the danger of alcohol lies in the direct effect on the cells of the embryo. Ethanol has the ability to dehydrate cellular structures, which leads to their death. The loss of several cells by an adult organism will be completed by their restoration by dividing others. But in the embryo, the cellular composition is not numerous, the loss of several of them is fraught with a violation of the development of the whole organ.

The laying of organs and the development of the placenta takes the entire first trimester. The liver is formed early enough in a child. In the intrauterine period, it is a hematopoietic organ, and its relative size exceeds that in adults. But at the same time, the enzyme systems are not yet mature, the fetal liver is not able to neutralize toxins. Acogold dehydrogenase appears only at the age of 5-6 years.

Therefore, drinking alcohol in early pregnancy leads to damage to the developing organs, the nervous system suffers to a greater extent.

Mid-gestation and later

The placenta begins to form in the first trimester of pregnancy, and fully functions from the 16th week. Ethanol successfully crosses the placental barrier if a woman allows herself alcohol. In the blood of a child, the concentration of alcohol reaches 80-100% of the mother's. The liver and kidneys of the fetus are immature, therefore they are not able to fully get rid of metabolites.

It has been experimentally proven that ethyl alcohol causes spasm of the umbilical cord vessels and degenerative disorders in the placenta. Nutrients and oxygen are supplied in limited quantities. The result is a violation of its development.

Violations relate to the anatomical features of the placenta. With frequent use of alcohol, the following processes are observed:

a decrease in the thickness and weight of the placenta;
violation of placental blood flow;
uneven filling with blood;
foci of white heart attacks;
intervillous thrombi in the placenta.

Histological examination of such a fetal site shows that there are avascular villi, the chorionic epithelium is dystrophically altered or prone to necrosis. In the decidua there are infiltrates of lymphocytes, vacuoles. In the basement membrane, the amount of mucopolysaccharides and glycogen, the main energy material, is reduced.

Regular consumption of alcoholic beverages, especially in combination with malnutrition, leads to a reduction (decrease) in blood flow in the placenta by 30%.

For the fetus, not only alcohol is dangerous, but also its metabolites, one of which is acetaldehyde. After taking a strong drink, ethanol and substances after its decay accumulate in the amniotic fluid. They leave the mother's body after a few hours, and in the amniotic fluid, even a single dose is retained much longer, which explains the toxic effect on the child.

Possible pathologies in chronic use

Regular consumption of not always large portions leads to fetal alcohol syndrome. This is a complex of various deviations in physical development, neuropsychic sphere.

The harmful effect is manifested when used, regardless of the gestational age. At the beginning of pregnancy, the consequences are associated with congenital malformations and intrauterine fetal death. Sometimes it ends.

In the second trimester of pregnancy, chronic alcohol consumption leads to disorders of the central nervous system and malformations of the musculoskeletal formations. From the third trimester, the damaging effect leads to functional disorders in the central nervous system, intrauterine growth retardation.

Fetal alcohol syndrome is widespread in Russia, where the volume of alcohol per capita significantly exceeds the limit recommended by WHO. Many women consume alcoholic beverages before pregnancy and do not stop doing so after even in minimal doses. The critical dose is 30-60 ml of pure ethanol. But it has been proven that there are no absolutely safe doses. Each pregnant woman is characterized by individual metabolic characteristics, so it is difficult to predict what the consequences will be even after one glass.

Manifestations of alcoholic damage to the fetus may have different severity. Most often they are presented:

skull dysmorphism;
developmental delay;
brain damage;
congenital defects.

Women who drink alcohol during pregnancy give birth to children with low body weight, often not exceeding 2200 g. The body length of the child also lags behind the norm and is 44-46 cm. Many of the babies, even with good care and after a year, do not have time to catch up with their peers and lag behind in height and weight by 30-40%.

Signs of alcoholic damage to the fetus

External signs of children are typical for those born from mothers who abuse alcohol and are characterized by the following symptoms:

blepharophimosis - bilateral drooping of the upper eyelid with a decrease in its size horizontally and vertically;
smoothed nasolabial triangle;
thinning of the upper lip;
micrognathia - a decrease in the size of the upper jaw;
microcephaly - a small size of the brain part of the skull;
low forehead and saddle nose;
misplaced ears;
altered bite;
cleft lip or palate.

Children with alcohol syndrome are characterized by a combination of various malformations. Most often, pathologies of the heart and blood vessels appear (pulmonary artery stenosis, tetralogy of Fallot), and the genitourinary system. Boys are characterized by cryptorchidism, hypospadias. In girls, doubling of the vagina, hypertrophy of the clitoris is possible. Kidney hypoplasia, hydronephros, urogenital fistulas are also possible.

There may be a congenital pathology of hearing, visual impairment, hip dysplasia, fused fingers, inguinal and umbilical hernias, and other pathologies.

There are noticeable structural features of the skeleton and a lag in bone age from the real one, which persists until puberty.

If the mother drank alcohol in the later stages and shortly before the birth, then the child may be born with an abstinence syndrome. His body is accustomed to constant doses of alcohol, so the following symptoms appear in the first hours after birth:

tremor of the limbs;
convulsive readiness;
quickening of breathing;
periods of apnea - cessation of respiratory movements;
decreased muscle tone;
vomit.

The degree of impairment in fetal alcohol syndrome can be mild to severe. It is determined by the sum of points that are given for each violation of ontogenesis. Children born with alcohol impairment have poor adaptive abilities, among them there is a high percentage of perinatal mortality. Sudden death syndrome often develops.

The changes are lifelong and incurable. Some malformations can be corrected with surgery. But children are usually weakened and are not able to endure complex and hours-long operations. Sometimes staged surgical treatment is performed.

Facial dysmorphias become less noticeable with age, but mental disorders require work with a psychologist, speech therapist, defectologist and are not always amenable to correction. Severe mental disorders are treated by a psychiatrist with the help of psychostimulants and neuroleptics.

Long-term consequences

If a woman did not know about the pregnancy and drank small amounts of alcohol, this is not a reason to have an abortion. Those who plan to keep the fetus should stop drinking alcohol and eat right.

But the consequences may appear in the long term. Exposure of a not so severe nature leads to the appearance of a fetal alcohol effect. At the same time, the violations are less pronounced and more related to the neuropsychic sphere and mental development. Often there are behavioral deviations that appear only at the stage of growing up.

Some researchers believe that the constant use of alcohol by the mother during gestation increases the risk of developing alcoholism in him. But this phenomenon has a psychosocial character, depends on the upbringing and immediate environment of the child.

Rules of conduct for a pregnant woman

Alcoholic beverages harm anyone, regardless of gender and age. It used to be that the harm of weak alcohol in the form of beer, cocktails, dessert wines and liquors is much less than that of strong drinks. There was also an opinion that there are noble and ignoble drinks that affect the body in different ways. But this opinion turned out to be wrong, as well as the fact that the periodic use of a glass of red wine has a positive effect on hematopoiesis, helps to fight against.

For a pregnant woman, any dose of alcohol is harmful. Whether it is possible to drink alcohol before a delay depends on how regularly and plentifully the woman is going to drink. If these are daily libations, then they must be abandoned by those who are planning a pregnancy. But with a single use of a glass of wine, champagne, there will be no significant effect on a fertilized egg for 10 days.

If the future mother is unable to give up the bad habit on her own, even at the stage of preconception preparation, she needs to contact a narcologist who will draw up a rehabilitation plan and help her cope during the period of weaning from alcohol.

Health care

If there is a suspicion that a woman continues to drink alcohol during pregnancy, the doctor may suggest appropriate treatment. It includes some activities that are aimed at improving the condition of the fetus, treating placental insufficiency and intrauterine growth retardation.

Drug therapy includes the following groups of drugs:

Pentoxifylline - to expand the vessels of the placenta and improve blood flow, increase the resistance of the fetus to hypoxia;
Dipyridamole (Kurantil) - relaxes and expands the smooth muscles of blood vessels;
small doses of aspirin to improve blood flow;
Euphyllin is a vasodilator.

Treatment is supplemented with detoxification, vitamin preparations, good nutrition are used.

Alcohol and pregnancy is a complex topic.

Many weddings are now played only when the bride is already in position. Can she have a glass of champagne?

Can a pregnant woman drink alcohol at all? Let's figure it out.

Diagnosis - pregnancy

Do you know what is the recommended dose of alcohol at any stage of pregnancy? Zero grams. Because, unfortunately, to establish the dose of alcohol that is safe for this particular mother-fetus couple is possible only by exceeding the dose.

We talked about the effect of alcohol on a healthy person. But the body of a pregnant woman works a little differently.

Alcohol has a much stronger effect on a pregnant woman, since her metabolism has been greatly altered.

Severe intoxication can lead to spontaneous abortion, a different complication of its course. But this is the reaction of the mother's body. While the main difference is that a pregnant woman never drinks alone.

The nervous system of the fetus is very susceptible to the action of alcohol, and it penetrates perfectly through the placenta. And alcohol can cause such an unpleasant thing as FAS.

What is FAS

There are two ways to read FAS. Let's not talk about the Federal Antimonopoly Service, but let's talk about fetal alcohol syndrome. Fetus is Latin for fruit. In science, everything that is difficult to understand is always thrown into one heap and somehow called.

FAS is a whole bunch of symptoms that a child is born and lives with. They are divided into three categories: deficiency of weight and height, a variety of brain anomalies (intelligence disorders, developmental delays, problems with hearing and vision, and so on) and the corresponding appearance.

In this case, the child may not have a complete “bouquet”. Then doctors do not talk about FAS, but about FASD (fetal alcohol spectrum disorders) or FAE (fetal alcohol effect). Although the way it is called, it will not be easier for parents.

FAS, unfortunately, has no cure. If a child is born with this syndrome, his life can be maintained, he can be provided with the best conditions, but he will never recover.

To drink or not to drink?

The following question naturally arises: “How much can you drink so that there is no FAS?”.

The correct answer is zero grams. There are studies that show a high risk of FAS when drinking three units of alcohol (30 g of pure alcohol) per day. However, this syndrome also occurs with the use of 3–5 g of alcohol per day (100 g of beer). The risk of having a child with FAS in such cases is less, but it exists.

The attentive reader has noticed that both times it was about the regular use of alcohol. And, if not regular, but one-time? Then let's go back to our bride, who still thinks what to answer with shouting "Bitter!" guests.

Many doctors say that two or three times during pregnancy (not to be confused with "two or three times a week") you can afford 100-200 g of natural dry wine with little or no risk. How "virtually no risk" differs from just "no risk", doctors, unfortunately pregnant women, do not specify.

Almost all women understand that when carrying a child, you need to stop taking alcoholic beverages. A lot of literature has been written about this and doctors warn. Despite the prohibitions, some women are interested in whether pregnant women can drink alcohol, and what are the consequences of this combination.

How does alcohol affect the body?

It is known that alcohol-containing drinks penetrate the walls of the stomach at high speed and are carried by the blood throughout the body. Waste of such products clog the blood, while affecting the body's natural filters - the kidneys with the liver. The liver and kidneys begin to work hard, and can not cope with the increased load, which leads to various diseases.

Now imagine what a child experiences while in the stomach of a drinking mother. Any person who abuses alcohol will face the following consequences:

liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis);
stomach diseases;
obesity;
dementia.

Since the child receives all the necessary nutrients from the mother's body, the listed consequences from alcohol may appear in the later life of the baby.

Doctors forbid drinking alcohol during pregnancy, explaining to a woman that the fetus literally suffocates when alcohol-containing products and their waste penetrate into its internal organs.

Possible deviations in the baby

Alcohol during pregnancy leads to a lack of oxygen in the body of the fetus due to vasoconstriction, and does not pass the nutrients necessary for the development of the unborn baby.
In the case when a woman drinks, all the forces of the child inside the mother's body are aimed at neutralizing the waste of alcohol-containing products. In an unborn baby, all sorts of deviations in health begin to appear. A child may be born with deformities, or they will definitely appear a little later.

Here are some of the consequences of drinking alcohol during pregnancy:

facial defects (underdeveloped jaw and cheekbones, cleft lip);
a large head that does not correspond to the proportions (dropsy);
improper physique (with a violation of proportions), expressed by dwarfism or gigantism;
low birth weight;
underdevelopment of some parts of the brain (microcephaly);
Congenital heart defect;
complete blindness or severe myopia;
improper development of internal organs (distortion in the structure);
joint underdevelopment;
not overgrown spinal canal at birth;
hermaphroditism;
vulnerability of the immune system.

After reviewing the listed consequences, every woman should decide whether it is possible to drink alcohol during pregnancy. Some women may object, referring to acquaintances or girlfriends who had completely normal children, and at the same time the woman drank while waiting for the baby. But there is no need to delude yourself. If the baby was born without visible defects, then they will definitely appear in the next stages of its development.

Alcohol in the early stages of childbearing

If a woman, having learned about her interesting situation, continues to drink alcohol in the early stages of pregnancy, then in the first 4 weeks this will bring danger. The explanation is simple: the fetus has not yet established itself in the thickness of the female uterus.

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If you do not stop and drink alcohol for pregnant women in the early stages, after 4 weeks, then the consequences may be of the following nature:

after 4 weeks, the fetus begins to develop rapidly (organ systems are being formed);
any negative impact can cause not only congenital deformities, but also miscarriage;
when pregnancy enters the second trimester, then by this period all the organs of the unborn baby are formed. A small amount of alcohol (a glass of wine) will not harm the fetus. If you drink alcohol during pregnancy in an immoderate amount, then there is a threat of losing the child;
having reached the third trimester, the expectant mother is obliged to completely eliminate alcohol from consumption. If you do not pay attention to medical recommendations, then the baby may be born prematurely.

Many women, during routine pregnancy consultations, tell the doctor that they constantly want beer. It is possible that there is a lack of vitamin B in the body. In any case, it is necessary to announce to the doctor all the changes that occur to you during this period. The doctor will prescribe a course of necessary vitamins, consult about other problems.

Is there an acceptable amount of alcohol during pregnancy?

Experts are constantly conducting research to answer the question of whether pregnant women can drink alcohol. Opinions are different. There are many examples confirming the negative impact of alcohol-containing products during gestation. Sometimes, even the smallest dose of alcohol can cause death or the appearance of a handicapped baby.

On the other hand, there is an opinion that a small amount of a quality product containing degrees will not hurt. Special experiments were carried out, according to the results of which it was calculated how much alcohol during pregnancy is safe.

Certain researchers have voiced an acceptable dose of alcohol when carrying a child. So, for pregnant women, alcohol in small quantities (up to 100 g per week) will not harm the unborn baby. Moreover, there are no results confirming or denying such an opinion.

A woman herself must decide what is more important for her - the health of an unborn baby, or alcohol, even in a small amount. Gynecologists are of the same opinion: pregnant women should not drink alcohol, at least in the first weeks after conception.

The other side of the issue is moderation. It is impossible to correctly recognize that a certain amount of alcohol will not cause harm. For some, irreparable consequences may occur even after 50 g of champagne. It is impossible to predict the consequences.

Doctors warn expectant mothers that there is no such thing as a safe dose of alcohol. Not a single qualified specialist will undertake to voice the permissible dose of alcohol for a woman in position.

What kind of alcohol can pregnant women?

When a woman is expecting a baby, she must understand that she is responsible not only for her health, but also responsible for the condition of the unborn baby. But, the body of a pregnant woman sometimes requires unusual products, including alcohol. Sometimes a woman in position can be madly craving a drink. In such a situation, you can advise the following:

do not drink alcohol on an empty stomach;
after even a small amount of drinking, be sure to have a snack;
after drinking it is allowed to take two tablets of activated charcoal.

Some women find themselves in situations where they need to hide their interesting position. In this case, you need to try to discreetly replace the glass with alcoholic mineral water or juice. Either you can say that you are undergoing antibiotic treatment, or you need to drive. There is always a way out.

If, nevertheless, a woman decided to drink, then you need to know what kind of alcohol you can pregnant. As for wine, the opinions of various researchers differ. Some argue that a small amount is even beneficial when a woman is in the final weeks of her pregnancy.

Almost all doctors are of the same opinion about the use of alcohol in the early stages of gestation. Here we are not talking about the fact that pregnant women can drink from alcohol. In the process of the formation of the fetus at the initial stage, there can be no question of any amount of alcohol. But, in the later stages, a woman can be allowed to drink some wine.

If we consider what alcohol is possible for pregnant women, then wine is chosen based on the following characteristics:

dry varieties containing a large amount of vitamin B, and reduce the risk of blood clots. On the other hand, wine dilates blood vessels, so you may feel dizzy and weak;
you can drink during pregnancy quality red wines containing iron, potassium and magnesium. These elements are necessary for the development of the baby. Only you need to choose expensive drinks without sugar and other additives;
house wines. But, here you need to be especially careful. Sometimes it is homemade wines that contain a large percentage of alcohol.

Some women, despite the prohibition of doctors, drink beer during almost the entire pregnancy. The drink, of course, improves appetite and saturates with vitamins. But beer has only a negative effect on the future baby. Beer contains an enzyme that resembles a human hormone in composition, which is especially dangerous for a child. One bottle of beer during pregnancy is equivalent to a glass of vodka. Women in position should not even drink non-alcoholic beer, because it also contains phytoestrogens, reminiscent of hormones.

If you really want alcohol during pregnancy, then you can stop at non-alcoholic wines. In such drinks, the alcohol content is similar to kefir. Perhaps this is the best option of all, which alcohol can be drunk during pregnancy.

Doctors advise women who are carrying a child to be patient, to completely abandon alcohol-containing products. A woman must be responsible and understand the possible consequences of her behavior in the process of bearing a fetus. No need to reassure and persuade yourself that a small amount of alcohol will not harm the baby. Even if any negative consequences did not appear immediately after birth, they will still manifest themselves in the process of development and the future life of the child.

Do you still think that it is impossible to cure alcoholism?

Judging by the fact that you are now reading these lines, victory in the fight against alcoholism is not on your side yet ...

And you already thought to code? It is understandable, because alcoholism is a dangerous disease that leads to serious consequences: cirrhosis or even death. Pain in the liver, a hangover, problems with health, work, personal life ... All these problems are familiar to you firsthand.

But maybe there is a way to get rid of the pain? We recommend reading Elena Malysheva's article on modern methods of treating alcoholism...