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Alcohol during pregnancy

The developing fetus is exposed to the alcohol through placenta and umbilical cord. Alcohol metabolizes slowly in fetus and remains for a longer time in their bodies because of re-uptake of amniotic fluid containing alcohol when compared to an adult . Alcohol exposure has serious implication on developing fetus as well as mother. When a woman is planning for pregnancy, she should keep in mind that no safe limit for any type of alcohol. It can lead to premature birth which manifests later as child continues to grow. One of the main outcome in developing baby is Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, which is characterized by: cleft palate and/or cleft lip, unproportionate physical development of the body, various disabilities like attention deficiency, memory and coordination power is low and improper functioning of various body organs like kidney, heart and bones. Miscarriage,low birth weight and stillbirth are other common outcomes.

These effects can be magnified specially during the first and third trimester of pregnancy when the baby is growing rapidly. Consumption of excessive alcohol can lead to Fetal Alcohol Syndrome which can produce irreversible lifetime changes in physical, metal and neurobehavioral development of developing fetus. Alcohol during pregnancy not only affects the developing fetus, but it has adverse health outcomes on pregnant mother as well. It can harm the fertility of women who are planning for pregnancy. Mother could easily get injured from falls under the influence of alcohol which can eventually lead to miscarriage. Alcohol adverse effects can lead to malnutrition, seizures, vomiting and dehydration. Mother can suffer from anxiety, depression which can result in child abuse/neglect. It has also been observed that while the pregnant mother withdraws from alcohol, its effects are visible on the infant as well. The baby remains in an irritated mood, cries frequently, doesn’t sleep properly, weakening of sucking ability and increased hunger.

Binge drinking alcohol during pregnancy can have serious health effects on developing baby. A woman who regularly does binge drinks, increases the chances and severity of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome symptoms in her developing baby. Binge drinking especially ethanol, reduces nutrition levels in developing fetus and can affect the functioning of endocrine system in both fetus and mother. This is because blood flow via umbilical artery to fetal brain is reduced.

It is also evident that alcohol during pregnancy significantly increases the risk of acute myeloid leukemia in developing fetus. Children specially of the age group 5-9 years were affected. No significant association was found in older children. Acute myeloid leukemia was specifically significantly related to women who consumed wine.

Alcohol consumption specially in the first trimester of pregnancy, which is a crucial developmental stage of fetal growth, can have serious consequences. Developing fetus can be exposed to alcohol in the earliest weeks of pregnancy. In the third week, alcohol can affect the heart and central nervous system of the fetus. If mother continues to drink, fetus's eyes, legs and arms can be adversely affected. Continuous exposure further through sixth week can further have negative impact on ear and teeth development. Fetus's palate and external genitalia can be affected if the mother persists drinking. During the twelfth week, frequent alcohol exposure can negatively impact the brain development which affects cognitive, learning and behavioral skills before birth