what it is and why there is no safe dose of alcohol for pregnant women

UPDATED 09/15/2024

People still don’t realize how much alcohol can harm a child. Alcohol consumption by a pregnant woman can lead to fetal alcohol syndrome in her child.

The harm of alcohol to the fetus was discovered relatively recently – a little less than 50 years ago, writes on Facebook former head of the Ministry of Health Ulyana Suprun.

In 1973, The Lancet published the first studies describing common developmental problems in children born to women addicted to alcohol.

At the same time, the term “fetal alcohol syndrome” (FAS) appeared for the first time – the most severe disorder of the group of conditions that can occur in a child whose mother drank alcohol during pregnancy.

Why is alcohol during pregnancy dangerous for the child?

As explain in the Ministry of Health, ethyl alcohol can reach the fetus through the placenta. Alcohol can remain in the body of an unborn child for a long time, which can harm it in the future.

“Because the fetus’s liver is not yet developed and cannot metabolize alcohol efficiently, it is excreted much more slowly than the mother’s, a process that can take hours or even days, increasing the risk of tissue and organ damage.”– they say in the department.

Alcohol consumption during pregnancy is also associated with problems such as miscarriage, stillbirth, and premature birth.

There is no safe level of alcohol consumption. It is also unknown how much alcohol during pregnancy will cause irreversible harm to the child.

Therefore, it is worth avoiding any alcohol from the time of planning pregnancy.

By data WHO, in 2023, 75.2% of women in Ukraine drank alcohol, more than half of them were women of reproductive age (from 30 to 44 years old).

As of August 2019, Ukraine had one of the highest in the world levels prevalence of fetal alcohol syndrome. In the country, every fifth child out of a thousand had this condition.

What are the consequences of drinking alcohol during pregnancy?

Violations can be of different nature – physical, mental, emotional, cognitive, behavioral congenital anomalies, etc.

Also, the negative effect of alcohol on the fetus can increase the risk of early development of infectious diseases in the child shortly after birth.

Observation provethat the life expectancy of people diagnosed with fetal alcohol syndrome is less than half (42%) of the longevity of the general population.

Years of research into the effects of alcohol on pregnant women have also shown that drinking during pregnancy can cause a spectrum of five different disorders in the child — fetal alcohol spectrum of disorders (FASP).

📍Fetal alcohol syndrome — the most harmful consequence of alcohol consumption from the entire spectrum of fetal alcohol disorders.

It is characterized by the following features:

• face: smooth or indistinct groove above the upper lip; thin upper lip; small eye slits;
• delayed physical development: height and/or weight below average for children of this age;
• disorders of the development of the central nervous system: cognitive disorders, problems with learning or behavior.

Some symptoms may appear in adulthood, such as:

• increased blood pressure;
• problems with coordination of movements;
• vision problems;
• decrease in IQ since childhood;
• mental disorders, in particular attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD);
• high rates of dependence on social support;
• suicidal behavior.

Partial fetal alcohol syndrome is also distinguished – when a person has only some problems from this list.

📍Alcoholic neurodevelopmental disorder

People with this disorder do not have FAS-specific facial features or growth problems.

However, their brains and nervous systems were formed with abnormalities that caused intellectual disabilities and behavioral or learning problems.

Children with alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorders may do poorly in school and have difficulties with math, memory, attention, judgment, and poor impulse control.

📍Neurobehavioral disorders associated with prenatal alcohol exposure.

They are manifested in thinking and memory disorders – the child may have problems with planning or forget the material he has already learned.

There may be behavioral problems – severe tantrums, mood problems, and difficulty concentrating when changing tasks.

There may be problems with everyday life, including problems with bathing, dressing for the weather, and playing with other children.

📍Congenital defects associated with alcohol

Due to the influence of alcohol, the organs of such people are formed incorrectly and function with problems.

In particular: heart, kidneys, bones (possibly spine), hearing, vision. At the same time, a person may suffer from another FASP spectrum disorder.

How does men’s drinking affect their children?

As inform in BBC, population studies demonstrate – babies whose parents drank have a higher risk of developing health problems.

A follow-up of half a million couples in China found that children with cleft palate, congenital heart defects and digestive tract abnormalities were more likely to develop if their father drank alcohol before conception. Negative health consequences occurred even when the child’s mother did not drink alcohol.

“Our findings suggest that expectant parents should be encouraged to modify their preconception alcohol intake to reduce the risk to the fetus, given that a 31.0% paternal alcohol intake significantly increases the risk of birth defects.”– emphasized the researchers.

Another group of researchers found that the father’s use of drinks with ethyl alcohol can to influence on the development of the fetus.

Experiments on mice demonstratedthat signs of FASP increased in a group of animals if not only their mothers but also their fathers drank alcohol.

How can you help a child with FASP?

The fetal alcohol spectrum of disorders cannot be completely eliminated. However, its early detection can significantly improve the child’s development and quality of life.

Some symptoms of the disorder can be eliminated with help medicinesas well as behavioral and educational therapy, parent training, etc. However, there is no universal method.

To reduce the impact of FASP and help people who suffer from it to realize their potential, can:

• diagnosis up to 6 years;
• a healthy and stable home environment where the child is loved and cared for during the school years;
• absence of violence;
• specific education and training of families to raise a child with FASP.

In addition, people with FASP have the same health care needs as others.

In particular, they need quality care, timely vaccination, nutritious food, physical exercise, hygiene and basic medical care.

We used to told about scientists from the Texas School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences who found a link between parental alcohol use and early aging in their children.

Importantly! This material is based on the latest and current scientific research, is of an informational and reference nature only and cannot be the basis for establishing a medical diagnosis. To establish a diagnosis, be sure to consult a doctor!