Experts say no amount of alcohol is safe during pregnancy

Let’s face it: pregnancy is hard. Yes, it’s ultimately a wonderful thing to bring a baby into the world. But the process doesn’t always feel so wonderful; along with the nausea, the exhaustion, the big uncomfortable belly and varicose veins, there are the things pregnant women are asked to give up. Like sushi; swordfish; eggnog; some soft cheeses; that extra cup of coffee; for smokers, cigarettes; and alcohol. For some women, it’s tough to give up alcohol entirely. It can be tempting, especially at special occasions or at restaurants where everyone else is drinking, to have one teensy-tiny glass of wine. After all, how much damage can one glass of wine do? But here’s the problem: we don’t know the answer to that. Which means that to be safe, pregnant women shouldn’t drink any alcohol at all. That’s the bottom line of a clinical report just released by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Here’s what we do know: alcohol is damaging to the developing fetus. It can cause problems with the baby’s growth. It can affect the heart, the kidneys, the muscles, the eyes, and the ears. But what’s most worrisome is that it can affect the brain in a whole host of ways — from causing it to be smaller and actually physically different, to causing learning and behavioral problems. The most serious form of damage is called fetal alcohol syndrome, or FAS. Babies born with this condition are smaller than other babies, have distinctive facial features (small eyes, a thin up...
Source: New Harvard Health Information - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Pregnancy Safety alcohol Source Type: news