Pregnancy and alcohol: could they cause long term effects? by Nathalie Fiset

Alcohol consumption by women is a relatively new phenomenon. A couple of decades ago, most women did not take alcohol regularly. The scientific community has been shocked recently to witness the birth of babies with severe growth retardation, a small brain, small and narrow eyes and an overall permanent development retardation.

It did not take long before the medical community was able to link this syndrome to the fact that mothers of these babies had consumed regular or good amount of alcohol during their pregnancy. Proving that alcohol can pass through the placenta was then a simple step.

Now that we know that alcohol taken in large amounts or repeatedly during the pregnancy have a proven effect on the unborn baby, we can honestly ask ourselves if any amount can have a deleterious effect.

Difficulties with proving the dangerous effects of taking alcohol during pregnancy will come from the fact that one cannot scientifically link such imprecise data as hyperactivity or trouble of attention to any one causing factor. There are way too many possible causes to be able to pinpoint one causing factor.

On the other hand, if alcohol has been proven without any doubt to cause fetal alcohol syndrome a severe an irreversible neurological and overall developmental problem, it is reasonable to strongly question ourselves on the effect of any amount of alcohol during pregnancy.

Since such things as asking for a negative pregnancy test, just like we ask for a proof of age, before serving alcoholic beverages is not a possible solutions.

Information and offering acceptable solutions to women in their reproductive years such as attractive beverages containing no alcohol need to be more common.

Pregnant women are often stressed out by all the dangers awaiting them and their unborn babies but few solutions are offered. Such steps as offering support and having healthy and non-alcohol beverages ready for her, will make pregnant women happier.

We do not know as a society the overall impact of alcohol intake during pregnancy. Although we recognize the fetal alcohol syndrome, the existence of lighter forms of developmental retardation can be extrapolated. What if the next generation of newborn babies that have been exposed to alcohol present with overall attention deficit disorders, tendency to depression and lack of self-confidence?

Since we have no idea of how much alcohol is safe to take during pregnancy, the zero policy is the best to adopt. By minimizing or better yet not taking any alcohol during pregnancy, we will ensure healthier and happier babies.

After all, we know for a fact that alcohol crosses the placenta and that the baby metabolizes alcohol slower than his mother, his liver not being mature. Hence, if a mother takes two glasses of wine and is a little happy, maybe her baby is already drunk inside?