Your pregnancy: alcohol consumption
AS soon as a woman discovers that she is pregnant, she should abstain immediately from any alcohol consumption – even if it’s just a glass of wine. These are words of caution from Dr Keisha Buchanan, obstetrician/gynaecologist at ICON Medical Centre in Kingston.
“No amount of alcohol consumption is safe during pregnancy. Moms-to-be must remember that whatever they consume can affect the unborn child, and alcohol is one of those things you want to avoid lest you expose the baby to a number of conditions, including foetal alcohol syndrome,” Dr Buchanan warned.Foetal alcohol spectrum disorders are a group of birth defects that can occur in a person whose mother drank alcohol during pregnancy. The most dangerous of these disorders is foetal alcohol syndrome (FAS).“The risk is greatest in the first trimester when the embryo’s brain is developing rapidly, but it is still risky in the second and third trimesters. What happens is that the alcohol rapidly crosses the placenta into the foetal bloodstream. The foetal liver is only able to degrade alcohol at one tenth the capacity of the adult liver, and so residual alcohol remains in the amniotic fluid, continuously exposing the foetus to alcohol,” Dr Buchanan explained.She said that the syndrome varies from mild to severe growth restrictions, abnormal facial features, cognitive impairment, learning disabilities and behavioural abnormalities. Abnormal facial features include drooping of the eyes, small eyes and small foetal head (microcephaly). Other birth defects include heart and kidney defects.Dr Buchanan said that alcohol consumption may affect not only the foetus, but the overall health of the pregnancy as well.“There is an associated increased risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, prematurity, premature placental separation (placental abruption) in these pregnancies. Sudden infant death is also more commonly seen,” Dr Buchanan stated.At birth, Dr Buchanan said that the infant may also have features of alcohol withdrawal such as agitation, tremors and seizures. Also, if the mother was drinking just before the birth of the infant, the baby may have the smell of alcohol on its breath, and the foetal blood alcohol levels will be equal and similar to those of the mother.How is the condition diagnosed and what treatment methods are available?“Diagnosing this condition includes tests to rule out genetic defects. Treatment includes the immediate stabilisation of the sick baby to prevent seizures, blood electrolyte abnormalities, and correct dehydration. As the child grows, therapy to treat behavioural abnormalities, developmental difficulties, and speech therapy may be needed,” Dr Buchanan shared.She pointed out that teens and adults who suffer from FAS have a higher incidence of long-term social problems including a higher risk of antisocial behaviour, mental challenges, problems with the law, drug abuse, inappropriate sexual behaviour, higher unemployment and difficulty living independently.Dr Buchanan also warned that mothers should not only refrain from alcohol intake but from all other drugs as well. She noted that other drugs are commonly used by pregnant women who consume alcohol excessively – including cigarette and cocaine abuse – and these can exacerbate foetal defects. This is compounded by other common factors such as poor nutrition and anaemia, which tend to accompany alcohol abuse.
