Alcohol during pregnancy: are there acceptable doses? Alcohol and pregnancy - to drink or not to drink, that is the question

Maria Sokolova

Reading time: 11 minutes

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"Scary stories" about the consequences of alcohol taken during pregnancy, a lot has been told. Every adult woman, and even more so the one who is preparing for the appearance of a baby, knows perfectly well that alcohol and pregnancy do not combine. But it’s not even about the dangers of alcohol, but, in fact, that many consider abuse and occasional use to be different concepts. And also about the fact that the expectant mother should not deny herself anything.

Is it so?

Safe doses of alcohol during pregnancy - do they exist?

Many of the women have heard that a glass of red wine is even good for a pregnant woman. Of course, this alcoholic drink has its positive properties - it can increase appetite and even hemoglobin levels.

But will this wine be good for the fetus, albeit in such a small amount?

What facts confirm (deny) alcohol harm to the fetus?

Scientists once proved that exactly half of the alcohol consumed crosses the placenta . That is, the child automatically "consumes" wine with his mother.
All organisms are different. There are no hard limits or fixed doses permissible for the adoption of alcohol by a pregnant woman. For one, half a glass of wine can be considered too much, and for another, a glass of beer is the norm.
There is no difference between drinks of different strengths. They are equally harmful .
There is no such thing as a safe dose of alcohol .
Can be a threat to the fetus any kind of alcoholic drink .

Common reasons expectant mothers drink alcohol

A future mother, for whom pregnancy is no longer a secret, but confirmed by a certificate from a consultation and a reflection in the mirror, is unlikely to consciously risk the health of the unborn baby and take alcohol. But the reasons are different:

Holidays, on which a glass or two for the company flies unnoticed.
Habit "sip a beer" on a hot day.
The body "requires" beer or wine (which is often the case with pregnant women).

And other reasons such as abuse (or, more simply, alcoholism) - we will not discuss them.
With any option, it is worth, first of all, to think - is this alcoholic “dubious” pleasure worth the health of the unborn child?

Why is a pregnant woman often drawn to beer?

A well-known fact is that many expectant mothers are drawn to beer during pregnancy. Moreover, even those who previously categorically did not perceive this drink. There is nothing surprising in such a desire - the taste preferences of expectant mothers are changing according to changes in the body. The lack of certain substances causes a desire for something “sort of”, and beer is one of these whims. What do doctors say about this?

Every sip of alcohol the expectant mother shares equally with the baby - this should be remembered first of all.
Drink a couple of sips of beer - not scary, but only if this desire is really so strong that it is impossible to overcome it.
Harmful substances contained in beer can pass to the baby through the placenta and lead to child's oxygen deprivation , as well as other consequences. Particularly harmful are phytoestrogens (in hops), preservatives and poisonous compounds, the presence of which is noted in all cans.
Nonalcoholic beer is considered no less harmful than containing alcohol.

It is known that such a strange whim of the expectant mother, like craving for beer, is explained vitamin B deficiency. This vitamin is most abundant in regular carrot . Also worth noting are products such as:

Potato
Eggs and cheese
Certain types of bread
Row fermented milk products
nuts
Liver
Yeast (in particular, beer)

If the desire "at least a sip of beer" does not leave the expectant mother, then it is better to choose live beer , without preservatives and dyes.

The effect of alcohol on the fetus in the first weeks of pregnancy

For the unborn child, the most dangerous and responsible is considered mother's first trimester of pregnancy . Of particular note is the period that begins With - at this time, the main systems and organs of the child's body are formed. Therefore, even a minimum of alcohol can be the “last straw” that can cause developmental pathologies. We are not even talking about moderate, but constant alcohol consumption - it significantly increases the risk of miscarriage.

What exactly is the danger of alcohol taken in the first trimester?

Toxic Substances , which are present in the composition of alcohol, disrupt the balance of the development of the child (physical and mental).
Alcohol is instantly absorbed into the blood , and the placenta is not a barrier for him.
Not only ethyl alcohol is harmful , but also alcohol processing products in particular acetaldehyde. The result is damage to the nervous system of the fetus and a negative effect on all cells of the body.
Alcohol also disturbs the metabolism and reduces the amount of vitamins (and folic acid) in the blood.

It is worth remembering that the main "bookmark" and the subsequent formation of organs in the fetus occurs from 3 to 13 weeks. It is during this period that you need to be attentive to the unborn child and your health, protecting the future child as much as possible from the effects of harmful factors.
further development, and improvement of organs occurs from 14 weeks . Most likely, negative factors will not affect the development of organs, but they can cause violations of the functions of these organs.

"I didn't know I was pregnant." Alcohol in the first two weeks of pregnancy

Of course, a couple of glasses of wine drunk during the entire period of pregnancy, most likely, will not lead to irreversible consequences. But situations, the quality of alcohol and organisms are different. Therefore, it is better to endure once again and drink juice than later regret their incontinence. There are situations when a woman consumes alcohol, while still not aware of her pregnancy. Do you have such a case? Do not panic. The main thing is to refrain from all bad habits in the remaining period.
What happens in these important first two weeks of pregnancy ?

Fabric bookmarks the unborn child and its organs do not occur in the first two weeks.
Ovum (fertilized) at this stage of pregnancy very defenseless , and each negative factor (in particular, alcohol) acts according to the “all or nothing” scheme. That is, either it does not affect the development of the fetus, or it kills the embryo.

Just these two weeks go before the next menstruation, and during this period a woman, traditionally, does not yet know that she is already in position. Do not worry too much about alcoholic beverages taken at this time. But here to stop further use, of course, it is necessary.

Reviews of women

- I realized with horror that in the first two weeks I drank both wine and harmful canned beer. Now I don’t even go close to alcohol. One consolation is that at this time the organs are not yet formed. I read that the fetus is not even attached to the uterus in the first week. But still not on my own.

- Alcohol is extremely harmful to the fetus! And you don’t have to listen to anyone - they say, there will be no harm if you drink a little ... You can feel the harm after birth! So it is better not to conduct such experiments.

- The egg is attached to the uterus on the fifth day. So in the early days, drinking alcohol will not bring harm. But then it is better not to smoke, not to drink, to walk and rest more. Me, here, the doctor advised beer to wash the kidneys.)) I twisted it at the temple and went for the juice.

I found out about the pregnancy when my son was already five weeks old. A couple of days before the visit to the consultation, I met old friends, and we drank two liters of wine with them. Of course, I got scared when the doctor said - stock up on diapers. In general, I didn’t drink a drop for the rest of my pregnancy. Yes, and did not want to - disgusted. The baby was born healthy, on time, there were no problems.

- I have a girlfriend, when she got pregnant, she couldn’t get past the beer at all - she almost salivated. I drank it in a glass sometimes, when it was completely unbearable. Her daughter is now twenty years old, clever and beautiful. Nothing happened. True, in those days, beer was different. Now even non-pregnant beer is dangerous to drink.)

- I think, if in reasonable quantities, then it's not scary. Not alcoholics! Well, I drank a glass of wine for the holiday ... So what? Expensive wine, high quality. It is unlikely that it will do any harm. It is clear that the baby will not benefit from wine or beer, but when such a strong “thirst”, then the body means it is necessary. You can't fool the body.

- It seems to me that there is nothing terrible if you drink something in the first days (when you don’t know about pregnancy yet). Even strong. In the end, for the presence of deviations and calm the conscience. But the nerves that will be spent because of some “pair of glasses” are much worse. One friend was nervous - the threat of miscarriage in two weeks of pregnancy. In general, everything is individual.

- The first days of my pregnancy fell on the New Year holidays. Where without champagne for the new year? Nowhere. And then my husband's birthday, then my girlfriend's ... And each time - a glass of red wine. Nothing happened. My child was born healthy in every sense - a hero.))

The woman finds out that she is expecting a baby. What are the first thoughts that come to mind? Of course, the expectant mother thinks about what foods and drinks she can afford during this period. There are representatives of the weaker sex who strictly limit themselves and prohibit the use of anything that can harm the fetus. But there are ladies who do not want to give up their favorite treats, including alcohol. Let's see if this is correct.

Scientists and doctors have tried many times to answer this question. Opinions differ every time. Moreover, the unambiguously correct answer among them has not yet been found. It used to be that a glass of good red wine was not only safe, but even beneficial for a pregnant woman. This drink raises hemoglobin and increases appetite, which is extremely important for the expectant mother. No one can set strict limits, since the norm is completely different for everyone. The body of women reacts to alcohol individually.

Could it be beneficial to the fetus? Today it has been proven that a child in the womb drinks alcohol with her. Of course, this does not happen in equal proportions. The kid gets exactly half.

Recent data indicate that alcohol crosses the placental barrier in full. You can talk about the effect of ethyl alcohol on the embryo for a long time. However, your position and desire to drink during pregnancy will depend on only one thing: do you think that for such a small and defenseless creature, not yet born, but already living and functioning just like you, there is such a thing, what is the safe dose of alcohol?

Modern doctors have already taken a completely different position. They believe that there are no safe doses of alcohol during pregnancy. No one will ever tell you with certainty if a woman drank alcohol during pregnancy, how many grams of wine or beer will be decisive for the baby. No one but you will not be held responsible for this later. It is impossible to predict how alcohol may affect the health of a future son or daughter. During pregnancy, there is no difference between alcoholic beverages. Early physicians argued that whiskey, brandy, liqueurs or vodka should definitely be banned, and wine and beer are not dangerous drinks, but modern scientific research proves otherwise. Absolutely any alcohol is equally potentially dangerous for the baby.

Alcohol in early pregnancy

In the early days, while the embryo is on its way to the uterus, it is dangerous only because of the provocation of spontaneous abortion. Then you simply will not know about pregnancy. In the period until the placenta has formed and the fetus has not begun to feed on you, there is no danger from alcohol. An average of two weeks between fertilization and missed menstruation are considered absolutely safe.

Undoubtedly, if for some reason the doses of alcohol were excessive and consumed daily, it is worth telling the doctor honestly about it. If not, be calm. But know that as soon as the embryo lands, begins to develop and grow, then you should absolutely forget about alcohol. Even a small dose in the first trimester can be the main cause of pathologies and deformities. This period is the most important and most dangerous for the development of the fetus.

How does alcohol affect pregnancy?

Moderate alcohol consumption during pregnancy increases the chance of miscarriage, and excessive alcohol consumption leads to abnormalities in the fetus. Chronic heavy drinking during pregnancy can lead to a developmental abnormality in the fetus called fetal alcohol syndrome. Scientists have found that mild, moderate drinking during pregnancy can lead to long-term changes in the brain. You won't notice the damage. If alcohol enters the blood of the fetus, then the liver is affected first of all, then the vascular system, as well as those brain structures that are responsible for mental activity. If drugs are used along with alcohol, the likely harm to the fetus increases many times over. Painkillers, stimulants, and anti-seizure drugs are especially dangerous.

When a woman drinks alcohol, her eggs are damaged, each of which carries the genetic information about your unborn child. That is why alcohol is dangerous even before pregnancy. The child of a man and a woman who often drink is smaller in body weight, shorter and lags behind in development from peers born to parents who do not drink alcohol. The baby has a weakened immune system and is more prone to various diseases. The main danger is an innate predisposition to alcoholism.

All varieties of alcoholic beverages are toxic to the growing, developing organism of the fetus. Any drink containing alcohol is potentially dangerous for the unborn child. In addition, you should be careful about over-the-counter cough and cold remedies. Some of them contain up to 25% alcohol.

What is the father's responsibility for the health of the child?

If you planned pregnancy in advance, then a man should give up alcohol 4 months before conception so that there is no effect of alcohol on heredity. Scientists have established a link between father's alcoholism and delayed intrauterine development of the fetus. Indeed, excessive alcohol consumption by the father of a child can cause him to have fetal alcohol syndrome. Even absolutely small doses of regularly consumed alcohol can reduce sperm motility and damage their hereditary structure. Of course, this will negatively affect the health of the unborn child.

A portion of alcohol of about 25 milliliters of alcohol per day is considered safe, that is, 150-250 grams of dry wine or 60 grams of vodka. At the moment, this is just a theory, not definitively proven. As adults and responsible people, you and your man should be aware that now your lifestyle affects not only yourself, but also your continuation.

Or is it okay to drink alcohol during pregnancy?

You can't help it and you're drawn to a glass of wine. Especially for you, we will give an answer to the question of whether alcohol is allowed during pregnancy. You can afford 100-200 g of natural dry wine, but only 2-3 for 9 months.

In the second trimester, ethanol increases the risk of miscarriage if a woman drinks more than 30 ml of alcohol twice a week. For example, a 70-kilogram woman can drink only 50 g of red wine, while the negative effect after drinking alcohol will begin to act within 90 minutes. Most studies have confirmed that four to five small doses of alcohol per day are sufficient for the onset of fetal alcohol syndrome. However, in a mild form, anomalies also occur at two doses per day (28 g of alcohol). If you do drink alcohol, then you need to drink one, maximum two drinks a week, and only during meals.

The period of pregnancy is a time of increased responsibility and a particularly reverent attitude towards your body. Within 9 months, you are laying the program for the health and emotional state of your unborn child. Take care of yourself and your future children!

It is believed that alcoholic drinks are strictly prohibited for pregnant women in any form, be it light champagne, or a small sip of cognac.

But still, the question of what alcohol is possible for pregnant women often arises. And not only for those who do not want to be away from the noise and fun, but also for those who found out about pregnancy quite late, and have already consumed alcoholic beverages.

What is the effect of alcohol on the embryo and whether there will be consequences - we will consider below.

What drinks are available?

What kind of light alcohol can pregnant women drink?

The type of drink doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is what percentage of alcohol enters the body. Beer, wine, light cocktails do not differ much from stronger drinks in terms of the expected effects on the fetus.

No comparative studies on the effect of alcohol on the body of a pregnant woman and the development of a child have been conducted. Specialists have to be content with observing those women who still drink alcohol during pregnancy, as a rule, they are from disadvantaged social strata.

In order to obtain objective data, to find out the exact allowable dosages, the exact timing of administration, the expected effect, to understand which alcohol is acceptable and which is not, one would have to conduct a series of inhuman experiments.

Those who drink non-alcoholic drinks, such as beer, also have no reason to calm down. Non-alcoholic beer is made with yeast, it contains alcohol up to 1%. But this is not the most dangerous. The taste, color, smell of such a drink are created with the help of chemical additives, and preservatives are also contained. The harm of alcohol, stuffed with chemicals, can be even more serious.

Depending on the term

Alcohol during early pregnancy, so early that the fetal egg has not yet attached to the wall of the uterus, taken in a single episodic dose, is almost not dangerous, although it can lead to a miscarriage that is invisible to the mother. Mother and unborn child are not yet connected.

The most dangerous are the first days after the attachment of the fetal egg. If the mother systematically drank alcoholic beverages, it is likely that the fetus will fall under the “attack”.

Possible consequences:

miscarriage,
genetic disorder,
malformations, up to such as "cleft palate", "cleft lip", cretinism, oligophrenia.

Dangerous milestone and 4 weeks. Internal organs begin to form, any toxin can cause serious defects.

An equally dangerous period is 7-12 weeks. During this period, the influence of alcohol on the embryo can have very far-reaching consequences. The brain and nervous system are actively developing, although they were laid down much earlier.

Alcohol, entering the baby's blood, destroys part of the nerve cells, in the future this can lead to any intellectual loss: developmental delays, poor memory, hearing, speech, mental qualities of a person.

A woman who drinks alcohol in the first 4 months of pregnancy has a 70% chance of a stillborn baby or miscarriage.

In the later stages, the danger is no less. The organs and systems of the fetus are already close to what they will be after the birth of the baby. But it would never occur to anyone that a child of 2, 3, 6 months, or even 2-3 years old can drink alcohol.

There are no safe periods, at any stage of pregnancy, alcohol can be harmful.

Dosages

Nature took care to provide the baby with at least some protection. There is a placental barrier. But for alcohol, it is not an obstacle. Alcohol molecules are very small, easily absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract and enter the bloodstream. But leaving is much more difficult. At the same time, the processing of alcohol (that is, splitting it by the liver) requires a lot of time - the body is completely updated only after a day.

Alcohol, taken in significant doses, easily overcomes the placental barrier and enters the child's circulatory system.

The fetus has no protection against alcohol! Even a few grams of alcohol can be harmful. But they may not deliver. This is a lottery, no doctor will tell you exactly how much alcohol a particular woman can drink.

Alcohol- a teratogen, it is reliably known that it causes malformations of the fetus. The frequency is not so high - 0.2-2 cases per 1000 children born. There are US statistics: up to 1% of children have malformations associated specifically with the use of alcohol by their mothers during pregnancy.

With more or less certain certainty, it can be said that single large doses (up to 5 glasses) are more dangerous for the development of the embryo than more frequent use, but in small portions.

There is no critical dose.

Of course, we are not talking about such a serious phenomenon as alcoholism before and during such a period as pregnancy.

Alcoholism is a disease that affects not only the health of the patient, but also the way of life, and values, and behavior. Such a patient, as a rule, cannot just take it and stop it, although he is shown a complete categorical refusal of alcohol - even minimal doses do not exist for sick people.

fetal alcohol syndrome

Doctor Berezovskaya E.P. notes that she has never met a single adult with such a syndrome, although frightening photos are given in textbooks on medicine. Hearing syndrome.

Under it understand the negative changes in the development of the child due to the effects of alcohol. Dosage - 4-5 doses of 15 grams every day.

Syndrome symptoms:

The weight of the child at birth is below the norm.
There are anomalies of physical development.
Lips, cheekbones, jaws are not developed.
There are anomalies in the development of the brain, nervous system, internal organs.

The benefits and harms of red wine

There are a lot of prejudices, including about red wine. It is believed that regular moderate consumption of this drink contributes to the health of the heart and blood vessels, improves blood composition. Based on red wine, there are extensive cosmetic lines.

There is no consensus about its harm during pregnancy.

Most of the authors of reviews on the network are of the opinion that 50-60 grams of high-quality red wine, once during the entire pregnancy after 16 weeks and only if you really want to, will not do any harm, but, on the contrary, will even be useful: dilates blood vessels, relaxes muscle tone, tones, a good source of vitamins. At the same time, systematic use, admission for any reason, except for “the body wanted”, is sharply negative.

Older people often recommend wine to improve blood composition, adding to their reviews: “Saw, everything was fine.” But it is worth making an adjustment for the time. In the post-war era, there were not many good sources of iron, and the quality of the drinks was different.

Today, for the treatment of anemia, there are much more really useful and safe remedies: liver, parsley, buckwheat, and finally, you can drink multivitamins or iron preparations.

At the same time, do not blame yourself for a glass of quality wine. If a woman drinks it once during her entire pregnancy, there will be no harm. Excitement and self-eating in this case will be more dangerous than a drink.

You can often hear: “I drank a medicinal tincture for alcohol”, “half a glass of champagne” - this did not affect the child in any way. Generalizations in this matter are extremely harmful.

How alcohol affects health - the answer to this question, even for adults, is individual. The stories of girlfriends “I drank during pregnancy and everything is fine” in no way mean that others will be lucky. In addition, “normal” is a relative concept, not all negative effects can be seen immediately.

Can alcohol be safe?

There are separate studies that prove that the dangers of alcohol during pregnancy are greatly exaggerated. One of them was carried out in Britain, by scientists and the Department of Health, who studied the effect of alcohol on the fetus in the later stages.

They found that a small glass daily of a low-alcohol drink, red and white wine, cider, light beer, from the 3rd month is safe.

However, the study raises too many doubts:

The official position of the British Department of Health is the opposite: it is clearly stated how alcohol affects the course of pregnancy, childbirth, the condition of the baby, it has been established that it is harmful to the health of the unborn child, alcohol should be completely abandoned.
At the time of publication of the material (2007), the study was not completed in open sources, the conclusions were raw, and after 10 years there is no information about the final studies.
Exceeding the dose, even according to the results of a dubious study, is unacceptable.

Alcoholism in pregnancy

Alcoholism, lactation and pregnancy is a hot topic. It is worth clearly distinguishing between alcoholism as a disease and occasional infrequent use of alcohol.

A woman who systematically drank for several years has not the same health. The body of an alcoholic is already tuned to the regular intake of "doping", its functioning on all fronts is far from healthy. Even if such a mother refuses to drink alcohol, she needs serious rehabilitation measures.

Only 1/3 of children born to women whose pregnancy took place against the background of such a disease as excessive alcohol consumption and alcoholism are born outwardly healthy.

The rest have malformations and congenital diseases.

Below are some figures that characterize the severity of the problem of alcoholism, prenatal period and pregnancy.

All figures refer to women who drink regularly:

Childbirth pathologies - 53.5% of cases.
Pathologies of pregnancy - 46% of cases.
The birth of premature babies - 34.5% of cases.
Spontaneous abortions - 29.05% of cases.
Premature births, miscarriages - 22.32%.
Intrauterine fetal death - 12%.
Pathological childbirth - 10.5%.
Birth trauma - 8%.

In the presence of chronic alcoholism and the father, the situation worsens significantly: pathological births, spontaneous births, stillbirths are more frequent. These are reliable facts: women diagnosed with alcoholism, or who drank alcohol regularly before conception and throughout pregnancy, are more likely to experience complicated pregnancies, difficult births, and the birth of children who are lagging behind in development.

For such women in labor, special supervision is established, a complete exclusion of alcohol is prescribed, antenatal prophylaxis is carried out in order to prevent oxygen starvation of the fetus, weak labor and postpartum diseases.

Every woman knows that alcohol negatively affects the development of the fetus during pregnancy and after the birth of a baby. But not everyone refuses to drink alcoholic beverages throughout pregnancy. Many future mothers believe that if they really want something, then they cannot deny themselves. This also applies to alcoholic beverages. I wanted a glass of wine - I drank it, I wanted beer - you can also afford it. Is this behavior of a woman acceptable while carrying a baby and what can happen to the fetus if a woman drinks alcohol during pregnancy?

Until now, doctors can not come to a common opinion. Some believe that even 30 g of light wine can harm the health of the unborn baby, so they argue that it is necessary to completely eliminate the use of alcohol during pregnancy. Other doctors are sure that beer and wine in a small amount is even useful for a pregnant woman and does not have a bad effect on the development of the fetus. Perhaps that is why now many women drink alcohol during pregnancy and no one around is surprised. On the street you can meet a pregnant woman with a bottle of alcoholic drink. Is it good or bad and how alcoholic drinks affect the health of the unborn child, we will try to figure it out.

The effect of alcohol on pregnancy

The health of the baby is happiness for mom and dad. Many couples prepare in advance to become parents, lead a healthy lifestyle, eat right, give up bad habits (smoking, drinking alcohol). And some spouses take everything from life and do not think about the consequences. When a woman sees 2 strips on a test, she recalls with horror that before conception and in the first weeks of pregnancy, she drank alcohol with her husband. Will this behavior affect the health of the child? This question is asked by many expectant mothers.

So is it worth worrying and taking a referral for an abortion, fearing that the child will be born with congenital pathologies and deformities? Doctors reassure, there is no reason for concern and there is no need to worry. Nature itself decides what to do. In the first weeks of pregnancy, the egg is very vulnerable to all manifestations (stress, lack of sleep, smoking and drinking alcohol, excessive exercise). All of the above factors affect the fertilized egg according to the harsh laws of nature: either nothing or everything, that is, the embryo may die or it does not affect the development of the fetus. 2 weeks are allotted for this time, just a woman may not suspect anything and is waiting for the next menstruation. If they did not come, then the pregnancy has been preserved and is developing, and this is where you need to limit yourself to drinking alcoholic beverages. Just starting from the 3rd week of pregnancy, and up to the 13th week, all the systems and organs of the unborn child are laid. Alcohol and other negative factors (drug use, living in a zone of increased radioactivity) can cause organ malformations. Starting from the 14th week of pregnancy and until delivery, the baby's organs will form and develop. According to many doctors, at this time, negligible doses of alcohol cannot cause serious disturbances in the development of the fetus.

What is fetal alcohol syndrome

You can live your whole life, give birth to children, and never encounter such a thing as congenital FAS. What does this mean? Let's start in order. As you know, the main harm caused by alcoholic beverages during pregnancy to the fetus is the congenital deformities of the baby. This effect is called teratogenic (from the word "teratos" - a monster). This effect occurs due to large doses of alcoholic beverages that a woman drinks during pregnancy. The placenta is not able to provide a reliable barrier and overcoming it, alcohol penetrates into the baby's blood. The teratogenic effect of alcoholic beverages leads to fetal alcohol syndrome, that is, FAS.

The main manifestations of fetal alcohol syndrome are insufficient physical development of the fetus, a child is born with low body weight, with pathologies of the development of the nervous system, heart, genital organs, with deformities of the jaw and face. Such children lag behind their peers in mental development, they get tired quickly, are prone to stress, frequent aggression, they do not adapt well in society. There is also a positive side of this syndrome, if a child is surrounded by care and affection, educated and completely protected from alcohol (in adolescence and beyond), then such people can give birth to healthy children.

If a woman during pregnancy, especially in the 1st trimester, often drank alcoholic beverages, then there is a high probability that her child will be born with abnormalities, and the “chance” that a miscarriage will occur or a child will be born without signs of life increases by 70%!

Fetal alcohol syndrome is fixed if a woman daily consumed 5 doses of alcoholic beverages (15g 1 dose). That is, they drank 75 g of alcohol per day. It seems to be not a lot, but not a little. If a woman drank less alcohol, then abnormalities in the development of the fetus can be avoided, but this behavior of the mother leaves its negative imprint on the health of the child in the future.

By the way, it is very important to know that in those women who often drink alcohol, the structure of the egg is damaged, and in fact it contains genetic information that is passed down from generation to generation.

Alcohol in the first weeks of pregnancy

The most important period in the development of the fetus is the first weeks of pregnancy. From the 7th to the 12th week of pregnancy, the brain develops in the fetus. If a woman drinks alcohol during this period, then the nerve cells at the stage of inception will be destroyed and will never be restored. The baby may be born healthy, but will have speech and memory problems. Such children do not memorize poems well and cannot repeat even a few sentences. Internal organs are also affected.

How alcohol affects pregnancy:

defects in the development of organs;
diseases of the nervous system;
bad speech;
defects of the musculoskeletal system;
the child lags behind his peers in development, he speaks poorly and does not remember short poems;
there are violations in the work of the respiratory system, heart and blood vessels;
weak immunity, children often get sick;
congenital predisposition to the use of alcoholic beverages.

In addition, alcohol in early pregnancy reduces the absorption of nutrients, even if a woman takes vitamins, then such essential elements as iron, folic acid, vitamin C and zinc can be neutralized, and their lack can lead to oxygen starvation of the fetus. Fetal hypoxia leads to serious metabolic disorders and developmental pathology.

Conceiving while intoxicated

"Drunken" conception is a problem and a real misfortune of the younger generation. You can protect yourself from this if you do not take strong drinks and do not have sexual intercourse while intoxicated. Unfortunately, the problem remains, and doctors and teachers are unable to influence young people. Often parents do not know where their son or daughter is and how young people spend their time.

When male and female cells fuse, fertilization occurs. Much depends on the conditions in which these cells developed. If a man drank alcohol before conception, then this may affect the health of the unborn child.

Spermatozoa mature within 3 months, so both “new” and “old” cells can take part in fertilization. If you take even a glass of alcohol, then it will instantly affect the viability of spermatozoa. An indicator of a healthy spermogram is when the semen of a non-drinking man contains 25% of “bad” spermatozoa. In a man who regularly “skips” a glass of vodka at dinner, this indicator decreases, and healthy spermatozoa are endangered. It is unfortunate, but in this case, a healthy egg can be fertilized by a defective sperm. As a result, the chances of having a child with developmental anomalies are doubled.

Spouses who plan pregnancy in advance may not even ask if it is possible to drink alcohol during pregnancy, they should know that this is not necessary not only during pregnancy, but also before conception. It is necessary to completely eliminate the use of strong drinks, eat right and lead a healthy lifestyle.

What else needs to be considered:

It is advisable for a man to stop drinking alcohol 3 months before pregnancy.
A woman should completely refrain from drinking alcohol before pregnancy, for 9 months and during breastfeeding.
If you really want to drink at least a couple of sips of wine (this applies to a woman in a position), then remember what the consequences can be and how the unborn baby suffers from the fact that you drank at least a little alcohol. Try replacing the alcohol with something else, eat a candy bar, or treat yourself to ice cream. You can always give up alcohol in favor of the health of your heir.

About a portion of alcohol and its consequences

What will be the pregnancy after taking alcohol - even an experienced doctor will not be able to say. Every woman should control herself and know that even a small portion of alcohol can harm an unborn child. A small amount of drunk alcohol contains ethyl alcohol, it has a detrimental effect on the body. It's like drinking a dose of poison. Would you like to do it?

For the information of expectant mothers: a serving of alcohol contains ethanol, which includes decay products, namely acetaldehyde. It leads to spasm of the vessels of the umbilical cord and placenta. That is, all nutrients, as well as vital oxygen for the fetus, will not be supplied in full.

For those expectant mothers who close their eyes, enjoy a glass of wine in silence and think that it is useful (after all, a woman feels good at this moment), we recall the anatomy from the school curriculum. The child is connected to the mother by the placenta, through which he receives the necessary nutrition. Everything that the mother eats goes to the baby. If the mother drank alcohol, then the baby “drank” with her, because he had nowhere to go.

The erroneous opinion of many women in the position that the minimum dose of alcohol will not have time to reach the child. This is not so, for a complete renewal of the body, even after drinking a glass of wine, 24 days must pass! There is something to think about.

Alcohol can affect the health of an unborn child in different ways.

Here is a small list of the detrimental effects of alcoholic beverages on the fetus:

in the early stages, alcohol provokes a miscarriage;
abnormal fetal development;
affects the child's nervous system.

How else can alcohol affect a child. It is not uncommon for a child to be born healthy and develop well. Achieving some success at school, he suddenly closes in on himself and ceases to study well. No amount of persuasion from parents helps. These are the effects of alcohol. The woman does not even remember that she drank alcohol during pregnancy.

What do our grandmothers say?

Scientists have long been engaged in the study of the effect of alcohol on the body of a pregnant woman and on the development of the fetus. Therefore, heated debates always arise around this topic. Our mothers and grandmothers recall that they were allowed to drink red wine or herbal tincture prepared with alcohol, 1 tbsp each. They drank a glass of wine once a week and nothing happened, the children were born strong and healthy.

You can believe what has been said, but after all, each organism is individual and even a small portion of alcohol can have a detrimental effect on the course of pregnancy. It goes without saying that red wine is not vodka or cognac, but it’s very difficult to find real wine in stores, since one thing can be written on a bottle with the Wine label, but in fact it contains diluted alcohol, plus flavorings and essences. Such a product certainly cannot be taken, even on a spoon in order to improve blood circulation.

Alcohol during pregnancy is a poison that can cause serious harm to the mother's body and the unborn child. Keep this in mind and refrain from drinking strong drinks during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Approximate reading time: 7 minutes

It is well known that alcohol abuse is a negative habit, undesirable for any person. However, a glass of wine at the festive table is not considered overkill, even for a woman. But what about the expectant mother, who only recently found out what the baby is expecting? Can she afford at least a little alcohol or is it categorically contraindicated?

The degree of influence of alcohol on the developing embryo (fetus) depends on the duration of pregnancy. It is especially important to know how alcohol affects it at an early stage of intrauterine development, because it is at this time that all the organs of a little man are formed.

Alcohol in the first days and weeks after conception

Most expectant mothers consciously refuse alcohol, as soon as they find out about the onset of pregnancy. It is alarming only the fact that a woman usually finds out about the completed conception only some time after the delay in menstruation.

All this time (usually up to two or three weeks, or even longer, from the moment of fertilization of the egg), one can only guess about a possible pregnancy. In most cases, a woman continues to lead a normal life, periodically attending festive events, not really thinking about the quality of the food and drinks she consumes.

In this case, the fertilized egg is already moving towards the uterus in order to attach to its wall. During this period, alcohol can enter the body if the expectant mother drinks a glass of wine, a little vodka or a glass or two of beer. Can alcohol at such an early stage harm the baby?

This situation worries some women so much that they even think about terminating the pregnancy if they suddenly remember that they drank alcohol shortly after the sexual intercourse, which ended in the fertilization of the egg. Is it necessary to be so dramatic about an occasional drinking episode?

The opinion of doctors about drinking alcohol immediately after pregnancy

Of course, experts unanimously argue that alcohol in the first month of pregnancy should be excluded from the menu of the expectant mother. Ideally, you should give up alcohol as soon as you decide to plan a pregnancy.

If we consider real situations, then not every pregnancy is planned, and there is often a case of alcohol intake by a woman who did not know about her condition.

During this period, the sperm enters the egg ready for fertilization, the initial cell division and the movement of the embryo towards the uterus. If any intense adverse effect is exerted on the woman's body at this stage (a disease with a high temperature, severe poisoning, including alcohol, etc.), then the fertilized egg will be rejected, i.e. miscarriage very early. In this case, the woman may not know that she was pregnant, taking the moderate bleeding that has arisen for the next menstruation, which began with a slight delay.

If the intake of alcohol was moderate and this did not have a negative impact on the embryo, then the intrauterine development of the future person will go on as usual, and it is only important to refrain from drinking alcohol in the future.

First trimester: the effect of alcohol on the embryo

After reaching the uterine cavity and securely fixing on its inner surface, the embryo continues to develop. During this period, it is especially vulnerable, because literally every day new organs begin to form or those whose rudiments have already been formed continue to develop. Any negative impact, whether it is alcohol intake, an infectious disease or poisoning with stale food, can lead to negative consequences, up to serious defects in intellectual development or body structure.

Every expectant mother should know how alcohol affects the developing body in the first trimester of pregnancy. In particular, these are the consequences:

vasospasm in the uterus and the resulting oxygen starvation of the embryo;
violation of the process of absorption of vitamins and other useful substances by the developing embryo;
chronic ethanol poisoning of embryonic tissues and the possible subsequent development of fetal alcohol syndrome in a child. Children born with such a disorder have distinctive facial features, lag behind in development, and often suffer from problems with hearing, memory, etc.

The expectant mother should also take into account that usually alcoholic gatherings are accompanied by smoking in the company. Even if the woman herself does not smoke, passive smoking will certainly be harmful to the fetus.

In a state of intoxication, it is difficult to control the quality and composition of the food eaten, hygiene requirements are often violated, which may cause infection of the woman and fetus with infectious diseases.

Thus, if there is a desire to give birth to a healthy baby, it is better to give up alcohol for the period of gestation, especially at an early stage, which is critical for the health of the future person.

Is it possible to drink wine early?

There is an opinion among some people that the expectant mother needs to give up only vodka and other strong drinks, and wine containing not so much alcohol will not harm the baby. Are they right?

On the question of whether it is possible to drink wine in the first trimester, it is better to get an answer from experts.

About alcohol in the first weeks of pregnancy, the doctor's opinion will be unequivocal: alcohol harms the baby. Wine does contain less alcohol than vodka, but it is usually drunk in larger quantities than strong alcohol, so in the end the degree of intoxication and harm to the body will be comparable when drinking these drinks.

So, 200 grams of ordinary dry or semi-dry wine contains 20 grams of pure alcohol. This corresponds to 50 grams of 40-degree vodka.

However, many people think that 50 g of vodka for a pregnant woman is bad, and a glass of wine is nothing special. They are fundamentally wrong! If the expectant mother is already trying to hide the fact of pregnancy and does not intend to declare a categorical rejection of alcohol, you can only sip a little wine at the festive table - no more than two or three small sips.

Is champagne allowed during pregnancy?

A woman should have a similar attitude towards champagne. In fact, this fizzy drink is the same wine containing alcohol in approximately the same amount.

However, champagne has one danger that puts it in the category of less desirable drinks. Any champagne contains air bubbles that rise beautifully in the glass. Thanks to these bubbles, the drink is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream and, accordingly, intoxication occurs faster. That is why it is undesirable for expectant mothers to drink champagne in the first trimester of pregnancy, and even better - the entire period of bearing a baby. Even at the festive table, it is better to limit yourself to a symbolic two or three sips, citing a possible headache after taking this drink.

Beer at the beginning of pregnancy: consequences

Alas, the use of a foamy drink has become a habit for many women, especially on the eve of the weekend or when meeting with friends. But is it possible for pregnant women to have beer in the 1st trimester?

Oddly enough, but some expectant mothers claim that with the onset of pregnancy, they began to be “drawn” to beer. The smell and taste of this drink suddenly seemed extremely attractive to them. Since it is believed that the pregnant woman’s body itself “knows” better what it needs, these women considered it possible to drink beer, citing “benefit” for the baby.

Doctors strongly disagree with such a common misconception. Drinking beer while pregnant means forcing your child to subsequently pay for indulging a bad habit.

The negative impact of an intoxicating drink on a developing embryo has long been proven by doctors. If a woman allows herself to get carried away with beer in the first trimester, there may be deviations in the physical development or future intellectual abilities of the baby. Every day during the first three months of pregnancy, the important organs of the baby are laid, and disrupting this process by taking alcohol-containing drinks is unforgivable recklessness.

Beer can cause oxygen starvation of the fetus, which leads to a deterioration in the nutrition of the little man. In addition, this drink excessively activates the work of the urinary system of a woman, adding work to the kidneys, which already function during pregnancy in an enhanced mode.

Thus, the consequences of alcohol in the first trimester can be extremely fatal, and it is not so important whether it is a glass of vodka or a glass or two of intoxicating drink.

Is non-alcoholic beer allowed for a future mother?

A common piece of advice often given by short-sighted people around you is to replace regular beer with a soft drink. Is it permissible for a future mother to drink non-alcoholic beer regularly in the 1st trimester?

Of course, such a drink does not contain alcohol, but this is almost its only advantage.

There are many disadvantages of non-alcoholic beer, and these are:

the presence of yeast, which is used to make the drink;
the presence of chemical additives that give such a drink a taste and aroma similar to ordinary beer. These ingredients are not safe even for a person in their normal state, to say nothing about expectant mothers and the possible impact of various "E-shek" on the body of a developing baby;
the presence of preservatives, which manufacturers generously add to a soft drink in order to extend the period of its sale.

Why do pregnant women sometimes crave beer so much? The whole point is the high content of B vitamins in this drink. Of course, the nutrients are necessary for the unborn baby, but you can completely “deceive” your body by eating foods containing these vitamins in even more quantities.

Cravings for beer can be reduced or completely eliminated by including foods rich in B vitamins in the diet: bread, cereals, nuts, corn, buckwheat, beans, liver and others.

The harm of alcohol to the body of a developing embryo is directly proportional to the amount of alcohol consumed. You should not risk the health of your own child, relying on "maybe" and indulging in bad habits. Each step towards giving up unhealthy and unnecessary habits is an investment in the future of the baby and, ultimately, in the well-being of your family.