Alcohol intake during pregnancy can cause adverse reactions on the growth of the baby. Chances of miscarriage and still birth are too high. Alcohol interferes with the absorption of folic acid which is vital for cell and central nervous system development.

When alcohol enters the bloodstream, it also passes through the placenta to the baby and causes a lot of complications and birth defects. Alcohol stays in the baby’s system longer than the mom. The breaking down of this harmful drink is slower and causes irreparable damages for lifetime.

There is no ‘acceptable’ alcohol level during pregnancy period. Newborns have very less tolerance for the adverse effects of alcohol and also have a high risk of developing FAS (Foetal Alcohol Syndrome) as it prevents sufficient healthy oxygen from entering the baby’s system. This is extremely important for the nourishment and the normal cell and organ development of the baby.

Hence, once your pregnancy is confirmed, stop drinking immediately to protect your baby. You may also have to curb on your drinking habits if you have any difficulty in conceiving, as research says that excessive drinking results in infertility of women and men.

The following are the possible consequences of alcohol consumption during pregnancy:

• Baby’s birth weight would be lesser than normal

• Small physical appearance

• Small head, eyes and eye openings

• Problems with normal vision and hearing

• "Lazy eye" and problem of nearsightedness

• Inability of eyes to move in the same direction

• Drooping eyelids

• Webbing of skin between eyes and base of nose

• Nasal bridge which looks sunken

• Upper lip which appears very thin

• Abnormal or absent groove between the upper lip and nose

• Opening in the roof of the mouth

• Small jaws

• Small eyes, upturned nose and flat cheeks development

• Deformed growth of ribs and sternum

• Curvature of skin

• Hips dislocation

• Deformed, damaged, bent, fused or missing toes and fingers

• Abnormal facial features

• Damage of joints with limited movements

• Deformed or poorly formed ears, internal organs and genital organs

• Abnormal or unhealthy heart

• Urinary tract and kidney defects

• Abnormalities and damage of brain

• Abnormal coordination

• Serious handicap problems in central nervous system

• Heart murmurs

• Malformation of genitals

• Abnormal mental, physical and behavioural development

• Severe mental retardation

• Mood swings

• Small brain with faulty arrangement of cells and tissues

• Short attention span

• Irritable attitude

• Hyperactivity

• Disabilities in learning skills

• Difficulty in understanding and comprehension

• Difficulty in calculations, decision making and problem solving skills

• Highly impulsive behaviour

• Stubbornness, aggressiveness, stealing and lying

• Delayed reflexive action

• Solitude

• Unsocial and unfriendly behaviour

• Difficulty in social interactions

An abnormal baby could cause a lot of mental trauma and emotional stress. Hence, it is the duty of every mother to take care of the foetus during pregnancy. The price you pay for the ‘non-comprising’ attitude is too high and the expenses after child birth may not be too small.

Jonathan Pitts

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