Drinking alcohol while pregnant an unnecessary Risk to Parental Development - Essay Example

Stephen Angmor Prof. Midge Cannin-Schuck Fall Brookdale community College Risks of Alcohol Consumption During Pregnancy One particular issue that continues to crop up with respect to the health of the mother as well as the health of the unborn child is with regards to whether or not drinking during a pregnancy, even in limited amounts, is something that should be avoided altogether, or whether it is ultimately allowable if done responsibly. Whereas it is unlikely that a student’s understanding of perception of this particular issue will shed a great deal of new life and/or new information upon the subject, it is the hope of this author that the research which will be engaged, as well as the discussions which will be represented, will help the reader to come to a more full and informed understanding with respect to the ultimate risks and drawbacks, as well as potential benefits, that could exist with respect to drinking likely during pregnancy.

Before continuing, it is necessary to reiterate the fact that the information that will be presented only concerns lightly drinking during pregnancy; i.e. one or two alcoholic beverages within the space of a week. This delineation must be made due to the fact that there is in arguable and conclusive evidence which points the fact that drinking heavily during pregnancy has been definitively linked to a litany of different health issues and birth defects on the part of the child developing in the womb.

With such an understanding in mind, the information which will be engaged will solely be concentric upon light drinking and the manner through which this could conceivably be either harmless, harmful, or a tacit benefit to both the mother and the unborn child.As has been stated previously, drinking during pregnancy has historically been something that has been shown outright. The ultimate rationale behind this is the fact that many doctors and stakeholders within society have recognized definitive risks that exist with regards to drinking during pregnancy and have extrapolated these risks to mean that any and all alcohol should be abstained from in the interest of promoting the health and safety of the unborn child.

However, a recent study by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has reported that approximately one in eight pregnant women report having an alcoholic beverage at least once in the past month of their pregnancy (Kim et al., 2012). With such a statistic, it demands a further level of investigation with respect to whether light drinking during pregnancy has a harmful, harmless, neutral, or potentially positive benefit with regards to the unborn child.From the information that is been engaged, it is clear to see that even though a relatively low level of risk exists with regards to light drinking during each and every stage of pregnancy, medical professionals continue to encourage their patients not to engage in alcoholic beverages whatsoever; due to the tacit risk that it could potentially engage (Elek et al., 2013). Moreover, due to the differential that exists between individuals and the body chemistry of mothers, even low levels of drinking could have differential effects upon the infant as it develops.

In conclusion, even though no great truth has been determined with regards to the overall approach to light drinking that should be engaged during pregnancy, it is the hope of this author that the reader has come to a more informed level of understanding with respect to why the current approach has been continued for as long as it has.ReferencesElek, E., Harris, S. L., Squire, C. M., Margolis, M., Weber, M., Dang, E., & Mitchell, B. (2013). Womens Knowledge, Views, and Experiences Regarding Alcohol Use and Pregnancy: Opportunities to Improve Health Messages.

 American Journal Of Health Education, 44(4), 177-190. doi:10.1080/19325037.2013.768906Kim, I., Jeong, G., & Yang, E. (2012). Effects of Knowledge and Recognition of Alcohol Use during Pregnancy on Actual Alcohol Use during Pregnancy. Korean Journal Of Women Health Nursing, 18(4), 279-289. doi:10.4069/kjwhn.2012.18.4.279