Pregnancy is typically viewed as a period of joy and optimistic expectation. Loved ones join in preparing for the baby's birth, while the mother-to-be takes precautions to ensure a healthy delivery.
It is crucial for pregnant women to avoid alcohol as it has been proven that drinking during pregnancy can lead to birth defects.
Is alcohol safe for pregnant women?
Health experts have traditionally advised pregnant women against drinking alcohol, but recent studies suggest that consuming small amounts may be safe for expectant mothers.
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) recommended in 2007 that pregnant women should not consume alcohol during the first trimester of their pregnancy. However, they are permitted to have up to 1.5 units of alcohol per day after this initial three-month period (Rose, 2007).
...The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists states that pregnant women who drink low levels of alcohol (1-2 units once or twice weekly) do not harm their babies. The research findings show minimal and inconsistent potential negative effects (BBC News, 2007).
Alcohol and Pregnancy: A Dangerous Combination
Despite ongoing affirmation from health experts, the general consensus remains that both pregnant women and those planning to conceive should abstain from consuming any alcohol.
BBC News (2007) states that drinking any amount of alcohol during pregnancy is unsafe. This is because alcohol can pass through the placenta to the fetus, endangering both the mother and unborn child.
FAS stands for Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.
Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is a frequent result of drinking alcohol while pregnant. It causes a range of physical
harm to the fetus, from mild to severe, due to the mother's alcohol use during pregnancy (MSN Encarta, 2008).
According to MSN Encarta (2008), Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) impacts around 1 to 3 out of every 1,000 live births globally and is the primary cause of mental retardation in Western nations. Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAE) is a comparable condition with milder symptoms.
What is the impact of alcohol on the fetus?
According to MSN Encarta (2008), the placenta, responsible for providing oxygen and nutrients to the fetus, is adversely affected by alcohol. This leads to a reduction in blood flow to the fetus and subsequently causes significant deficiencies in nutrition and oxygen.
Children with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) have stunted growth and low birth weight. They also have distinctive facial features, such as a flattened midface, short eye openings, a thin upper lip, and an elongated space between the nose and mouth.
Children who have Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) commonly encounter a range of difficulties and conditions resulting from alcohol-induced harm to their central nervous system. These challenges can encompass learning disabilities, mental retardation, diminished head size, seizures, and developmental disabilities. Moreover, they may also display behavioral problems and suffer from physical health issues like heart defects, hearing loss, and impaired vision (MSN Encarta, 2008).
In conclusion,
Taking care of herself is crucial for every pregnant woman as the health of a newborn baby depends entirely on its mother. One important measure that expectant mothers should take is to avoid drinking alcohol, as it can be harmful to the development of the fetus.
Alcohol consumption during pregnancy
can cause detrimental effects on the developing fetus, as it denies them vital oxygen and nutrients. This can lead to fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), which causes various health problems in children whose mothers consumed alcohol while pregnant. These problems encompass long-term disabilities such as mental retardation, as well as impairments in vision and hearing.
- Adaptation essays
- Adventure essays
- Adversity essays
- Aging essays
- Alcohol essays
- Barbie Doll essays
- Beauty essays
- Care essays
- Carpe diem essays
- Change essays
- Chess essays
- Chicken essays
- Choices essays
- Contrast essays
- Crops essays
- Development essays
- Dream essays
- Evil essays
- Experience essays
- Family essays
- Farm essays
- Fire essays
- First Love essays
- Focus essays
- Greed essays
- Hero essays
- Holiday essays
- House essays
- Housing essays
- Humility essays
- Humor essays
- Hypocrisy essays
- Integrity essays
- Law of Life essays
- Life Changing Experience essays
- Life Experience essays
- Lifestyle essays
- Limitations essays
- Love Story essays
- Mother Tongue essays
- Motherhood essays
- My Neighborhood essays
- Myself essays
- Mystery essays
- Narcissism essays
- Never Give Up essays
- Nursing essays
- Object essays
- Opportunity essays
- Peel essays
