Is alcohol safe during pregnancy?
No one knows exactly what harmful effects even the smallest amount of alcohol has on a developing baby
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- Alcohol and pregnancy don't go together. No one knows exactly what harmful effects even the smallest amount of alcohol has on a developing baby.
- All public health officials in India recommend that pregnant women, as well as women who are trying to conceive, should steer clear of alcohol entirely.
- When a pregnant woman drinks, the alcohol quickly travels through her bloodstream and reaches the baby. The baby breaks down alcohol more slowly, so she may end up with higher levels of blood alcohol than the pregnant lady herself.
- Scientific studies have shown that alcohol increases the risk of miscarriage and stillbirth. It can also lead to low birth weight, and cognitive problems with the child like slow learning abilities, problems with speech, attention span, language etc.
- "Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders" (FASD) is the term experts use to describe the range of problems related to alcohol exposure before birth. It can result in a lifelong condition characterised by poor growth (in the womb, after birth, or both), abnormal facial features, and damage to the central nervous system. So, pregnant ladies are advised to abstain from alcohol completely.
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