Drinking Alcohol During Pregnancy - Term Paper Example

Drinking Alcohol during Pregnancy Introduction For the expectant mothers, drinking alcohol during pregnancy is a question on the dangers the practice may exposing the unborn and also the life of the mother as well. Though this is a debatable issue, medical reports, and studies indicate that drinking during pregnancy is actually dangerous to the baby (Astley & Grant, 2012). Underlying this serious debate is that many women think that it may be safe to indulge in safe drinking; especially taking few units of alcohol once a week or a fortnight. However, some doctors recommend that there is evidently no more harmless amounts of alcohol o take during the pregnancy stage. Besides, they advise that there is not a safe period or time to drink during the pregnancy stage and also that there is no any type of safe alcohol. On the contrary, some doctors are of the opinion that taking a few pints of alcoholic drinks during the pregnancy stage may not harm the baby after all (Skogerbø et al., 2012). The suggestion to minimizing drinking during pregnancy is becoming coming frequent amidst medical reports that even small amounts of alcohol can result in miscarriage, infant death, stillbirth and prematurity (Jacobson & Jacobson, 2013). Therefore, it is imperative to discuss the extent to which doctors may be right in advising women against drinking when they are pregnant and also substantiate is safe drinking is recommendable during the pregnancy stage. Effects of alcohol on the baby Upon taking alcohol, it flows through the blood stream and reaches the baby by crossing the placenta. In return , the babys body system can only break the alcohol at a slower rate than the mothers thus ending up with higher levels of the toxins that the mothers blood (Astley & Grant, 2012). On the other hand, drinking has the potential of affecting the baby in very many ways since it is still growing and developing. For instance, alcohol intake is much attributed to miscarriages and stillbirths. The implication is that even small amount of drinking exposes the baby to birth defects especially being born with low weight and also raising the risk of difficulties in speech, learning, attention span, hyperactivity and language prematurity (Jacobson & Jacobson, 2013). Nonetheless, research indicates that mothers who consume even a little amount of alcohol are at higher risks of developing birth defects than the nondrinkers (Skagerström, Alehagen, Häggström-Nordin, Årestedt & Nilsen, 2013). The reports also indicate that even the small amounts of intake expose the baby to developing delinquent and aggressive behaviors. Besides, a study confirmed that girls whose mothers exposed them to drinking during pregnancy are at higher risks of developing health related mental problems(Astley & Grant, 2012). From the medical reports and research, it is evident that alcohol drinking during pregnancy exposes the babies to imminent dangers. Drinking alcohol is more harmful to the baby during the first three months of pregnancy where it has been linked to miscarriages and other birth abnormalities (Astley & Grant, 2012). On the other hand, drinking during the second half of pregnancy affects the baby’s growth and development. Besides, drinking beyond the recommended units, 1 or 2 units a week, has the potential of affecting the baby even after birth (Jacobson & Jacobson, 2013). Moreover, drinking more than 6 units per day may expose the baby to fetal alcohol syndrome. The implication is there exist no safer periods for drinking alcohol during pregnancy since any amount still exposes the baby to dangers of birth defects (Chiodo, Bailey, Sokol, Janisse, Delaney-Black & Hannigan, 2012). When a mother is drinking, the unborn baby also drink the almost the same amount of alcohol since the placenta allows the amount to reach the baby. However, the developing babies are yet to develop the ability to metabolize alcohol through the liver (Astley & Grant, 2012). The implication is that a baby’s liver is not in the position to carry out de-oxidation functions like that of the mother. Therefore, the baby end up absorbing the same amount of alcohol like the mother despite being unable to break it down into toxins that can be carried out of the body through blood circulation. Nonetheless, alcohol has been considered as a teratogen, thus a toxic to the developing baby and has the potential to affect healthy development including the damage to the brain(Chiodo, Bailey, Sokol, Janisse, Delaney-Black & Hannigan, 2012). It is also quite sad that babies who have been negatively affected by alcohol before birth exhibit no physical defects though they have learning and behavioral problems (Kesmodel et al., 2012). In this case, the effects may go unnoticed even to the mother and the entire family. In most cases, these defects have been misdiagnosed for Autism and Attention Deficit Disorder instead of the real Fetal Alcohol Disorder. Alcohol has been found to cause multiple damages to the brain according to scientific sources. It has negative effects on the corpus collosum, a region that connects to the brain hemispheres (Astley & Grant, 2012). It also ahs negative effects on the cerebellum, the region responsible for consciousness and the voluntary processes. Besides, it affects the basal ganglia, a region that controls cognition and movement (Dasgupta, 2011). On a serious note, alcohol affects the hippocampus region that controls emotional behaviors and the memory and also the hypothalamus responsible for sensory input (Kesmodel et al., 2012). The ethanol chemical in alcohol is the psychoactive element and has been to have some serious effects on the embryo (Lebel et al., 2012). For instance, it interferes with the normal proliferation of the nerve cells. In addition, the chemical is responsible for the increased formation of the free radicals thus damaging the molecular fragments (Jacobson & Jacobson, 2013). Ethanol alters genes expression, including the ones regulating cell development. Nonetheless, ethanol reduces the ability of the regulating cell division and cell growth in the embryo. If all these effects occur to the underdeveloped fetus, then there are high chances of impairing its overall development (Kesmodel et al., 2012). Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Fetal Alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) is a collective term that describes some of the problems that arise with exposure of the baby to alcohol before birth (Astley & Grant, 2012). In this case, one of the most severe conditions is the fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). The condition is life-long and has been attributed to poor growth among babies especially when in the women or after birth. On the other hand, the condition may affect the baby both before birth, in the womb, and also after birth thus worsening the health and medical condition of the baby (Chiodo, Bailey, Sokol, Janisse, Delaney-Black & Hannigan, 2012). A child with FAS has been identified to develop abnormal or strange facial features and also the condition damages their central nervous system. Nonetheless, babies with this type of condition have abnormally small brains and heads, and the effects are also felt in the heart, spine as well as other anatomical defects. The damages to the central system include such conditions as intellectual disability, delayed physical development, hearing and vision problems and other behavioral problems (Kesmodel et al., 2012). Therefore, the Fetal Alcohol spectrum disorders affect the cognitive development of the infant by affecting the central nervous system. In return, the effect on intellectual ability may hinder the child’s ability to learning as other normal babies. Frequent drinking or binge drinking increases the babys risk of FAS (Astley & Grant, 2012). Frequent drinking in this context refers to taking seven or even more alcoholic drinks on a weekly basis, including beer, wine and liquor while binge drinking may involve taking up four at least four drinks occasionally (Skogerbø et al., 2012). Moreover, mothers who drink less are still exposing their babies to the syndrome. Nonetheless, babies exposed to alcohol before delivery, though may not have developed the FAS, still exhibit birth defects evident from mental, behavioral and physical problems (Jacobson & Jacobson, 2013). The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, for instance, reports that fetal pre-birth alcohol exposure is one of the preventable causes of the birth defects and development problems among children (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012). In fact, the body estimates that close to 10% of women in the USA are most likely to drink while pregnancy and this translates to one in every fifty pregnant women who binge drink (CDC, 2012). Common myths with drinking during pregnancy It is always a common myth among women that it is quite healthy to take a small amount like a glass or two, of wine, but this should not be the case (Skogerbø et al., 2012). The implication is that even the doctors are not well informed about the dangers of prenatal exposure to alcohol. On the other hand, the doctors find it uncomfortable talking to women about the dangers to the fetus when exposed to too much alcohol (Peadon et al., 2011). Besides, existing research indicates that many doctors are least informed about the dangers of prenatal drinking as evident from the recommendation to take a few pints of alcoholic drinks. In this regard, a child exposed to even a small amount of alcohol is in danger of developing the dreaded FAS (Jacobson & Jacobson, 2013). Besides, it is a common belief among women that the kids and children of their family members or friends are fine despite their mothers having taken alcohol while pregnant (Chiodo, Bailey, Sokol, Janisse, Delaney-Black & Hannigan, 2012). However, exposure to alcohol may not have observable effects on children by such babies will have to deal with behavioral and learning problems later in their school-age and this may be mistaken for other causes (Jacobson & Jacobson, 2013). Women also believe that taking a little bit of wine during pregnancy may relieve them of stress thus it is healthy for their soul despite the dangers to the unborn. Therefore, women are sharply advised against such myths since alcohol, even small units, has the potential to affect the unborn (Skogerbø et al., 2012). The recommended amounts Experts have not yet come up with the recommended amount of alcohol to take during pregnancy because even the moderate amounts can be quite harmful to the baby (Jacobson & Jacobson, 2013). Therefore, the safest option is complete avoidance, for nine months. If a tall one decides to drink, there she should stick to the recommended amounts of 1 or 2 units once a week or even a fortnight (Skogerbø et al., 2012). Also, while drinking the safest amounts, it is quite important for the expectant mothers to know and identify the alcoholic content. Recommendations for women It is highly recommendable for pregnant women and those planning to get pregnant to avoid drinking at all costs in their first prenatal quarter, that is, the first three months (Skogerbø et al., 2012). The implication is that the first three months is when the mother is at the dangers of miscarriage. Besides, it is recommendable to stick to the safer units or standards of one or two units (Jacobson & Jacobson, 2013). Nonetheless, women are discouraged from binge drinking that involves taking several units of alcohol on a drinking occasion (Rosene, 2008). Therefore, the only way of avoiding the alcohol-related risks to the baby is total abstinence from drinking during pregnancy (Astley & Grant, 2012). Fathers also have a part to play in discouraging their wives from drinking during pregnancy. They, too, can advise the pregnant mothers to stop drinking and discourage them from attending the social functions that can expose them to drinking. Besides, the fathers can also team up with the mothers to stay away from alcohol as this will totally discourage consumption of alcohol during pregnancy in the entire family. Conclusion In a nutshell, the findings indicate that alcohol consumption during pregnancy, even small units, have the potential to harm the unborn baby. The implication is that drinking exposes the babys system to alcohol though it has not developed the mechanism to break down the alcohol as with the adults or the mother. Medical reports indicate that alcohol can expose the birth to risks of miscarriage during the first three months and also impairs the babys learning and behavioral development. Besides, alcohol has been found to affect the nervous system thus impacting on the brain’s ability to develop. Moreover, there is no recommendable safer amount, though 1 or 2 units may not be harmful but still it has negative effects on the babys development. Therefore, women are advised to stay away from drinking during pregnancy. References Astley, S., & Grant, T. (2012). Another perspective on ‘The effect of different alcohol drinking patterns in early to mid pregnancy on the child’s intelligence, attention, and executive function’. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 119(13), 1672-1672. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC. (2012). Alcohol use and binge drinking among women of childbearing age--United States, 2006-2010. MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report, 61(28), 534. Chiodo, L. M., Bailey, B. A., Sokol, R. J., Janisse, J., Delaney-Black, V., & Hannigan, J. H. (2012). Recognized spontaneous abortion in mid-pregnancy and patterns of pregnancy alcohol use. Alcohol, 46(3), 261-267. Dasgupta, A. (2011). The Science of Drinking: How Alcohol Affects Your Body and Mind. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. Jacobson, J. L., & Jacobson, S. W. (2013). Low-level alcohol consumption in early pregnancy may not affect child intelligence, attention or executive function at 5 years of age. Evidence Based Mental Health, 16(1), 4-4. Kesmodel, U. S., Eriksen, H. L., Falgreen, L., Underbjerg, M., Kilburn, T. R., Støvring, H., ... & Mortensen, E. L. (2012). The effect of alcohol binge drinking in early pregnancy on general intelligence in children. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 119(10), 1222-1231. Lebel, C., Mattson, S. N., Riley, E. P., Jones, K. L., Adnams, C. M., May, P. A., ... & Sowell, E. R. (2012). A longitudinal study of the long-term consequences of drinking during pregnancy: heavy in utero alcohol exposure disrupts the normal processes of brain development. The Journal of Neuroscience, 32(44), 15243-15251. Peadon, E., Payne, J., Henley, N., Dantoine, H., Bartu, A., OLeary, C., ... & Elliott, E. J. (2011). Attitudes and behavior predict womens intention to drink alcohol during pregnancy: the challenge for health professionals. BMC Public Health, 11(1), 584. Rosene, K. (2008). Medical of the Pregnant Patient. ACP Press. Skagerström, J., Alehagen, S., Häggström-Nordin, E., Årestedt, K., & Nilsen, P. (2013). Prevalence of alcohol use before and during pregnancy and predictors of drinking during pregnancy: a cross sectional study in Sweden. BMC public health, 13(1), 780. Skogerbø, Å., Kesmodel, U. S., Wimberley, T., Støvring, H., Bertrand, J., Landrø, N. I., & Mortensen, E. L. (2012). The effects of low to moderate alcohol consumption and binge drinking in early pregnancy on executive function in 5‐year‐old children. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 119(10), 1201-1210. Read More