By Adrian Zupp
Pregnancy and drinking just don’t mix. That’s the overriding message coming from the medical community. In fact, the consequences for an unborn child of coming into contact with alcohol while in the womb can be devastating. Defects can be both physical and mental. Moreover, up to 40,000 babies are born with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) each year in the U.S.
Organ damage, stunted growth, behavioral problems, intellectual disabilities, facial defects, and other maladies ranging in severity from mild to severe can result from drinking during pregnancy. It can also increase the risk of premature birth and miscarriage, and there are some suggestions it may lead to stillbirths.
So how much is too much? While there is some debate about the effects of light drinking during pregnancy, the general consensus is that total abstinence is the safest bet. Obviously, the heavier or more frequent the drinking, or indulgence in binge drinking, increase the risk – and risk of greater severity – of the above consequences exponentially.
Women who think they may be pregnant, or are trying to get pregnant, should avoid alcohol. And their significant others can help the process along by joining them in their abstinence. And whatever your situation, if you drink it’s wise move to take a free, anonymous online screening so that you have a better sense of whether your alcohol use is at a safe and sensible level.
Adrian Zupp is the marketing and communications writer at Screening for Mental Health.
