The influence of alcohol on the development of the embryo
Nowadays, no one doubts the detrimental effect of alcohol on the embryonic development of the fetus, because already at the end of the 60s of the last century, doctors began to notice that children of parents who abused alcohol are more often born with developmental defects and a specific complex of deformities.
If a woman drank alcohol during pregnancy, then most likely she did not think about the risk to which she exposed her unborn baby. Meanwhile, the use of even a small dose can lead to miscarriage, the birth of a low birth weight, and in the worst case - to the development of fetal alcohol syndrome or FAS.
The effects of alcohol on fetal development
Alcohol and its decay products, for example, acetaldehyde, enter the placenta with the bloodstream of the expectant mother, from where they directly enter the fetus. The normal blood supply to the placenta is impaired, and the chances of miscarriage or placental hemorrhage are greatly increased.
Impaired blood supply inevitably leads to oxygen starvation, the fetus at all stages of development lacks nutrients, and this leads, at least, to a delay in the mental and physical development of the embryo. And that's not all. The influence of alcohol on the development of the embryo is very insidious, because the consequences of such an action can appear many years after the birth of a baby.
Scientific studies in recent years have shown that the negative effect of drinking alcohol during pregnancy by a woman often manifests itself in adolescence during puberty. During puberty, there is a huge hormonal load on all systems of the child, his body "readjusts" to a new stage of life. It turns out that the teenager's psyche cannot stand it, and a calm and obedient child suddenly turns into an uncontrollable, arrogant and lazy tomboy. Parents are at a loss and cannot understand the reasons for such a sudden transformation, but they lie on the surface. All genetic breakdowns, which were the result of the influence of alcohol on the development of the embryo, started with the onset of hormonal changes in the child's body.
The effect of alcohol on embryonic development of the fetus
Recent data from the US Institute of Medicine indicate that approximately 12,000 children with FAS are born each year due to the use of alcohol by women during pregnancy. Our medical institutions do not give any figures in this regard, but it is not difficult to guess on our own about the current state of affairs in Russia, especially in terms of the level of alcohol consumption, our country, sadly, has long been a leader.
A look at the younger generation, at its mental and physical development without scientific work, speaks of the true state of affairs. Women with alcoholism in 40% of cases give birth to children with FAS.
Among the causes of mental retardation in children, alcoholic developmental syndrome comes first. It is very simple to avoid the harmful effects of alcohol on the development of the embryo - the expectant mother does not need to drink alcoholic beverages. Drinking alcohol has a negative impact on all stages of embryo development, so there is no organ that would not be harmed and avoided any consequences. Already at the stage of laying, some organs are formed with disorders, especially the heart, liver, kidneys and central nervous system are affected. After birth, such children gain weight poorly, later begin to walk and lag behind in speech development.
The effect of alcohol on fetal development is not limited to mental disorders or pathologies of internal organs. Children of alcoholic mothers are similar to each other in appearance. Here are the main signs of children with FAS:
- Short nose upturned;
- Narrow eye slits;
- Increased distance from nose to upper lip.
Alcohol syndrome is incurable, it remains for life, so there is no need to risk it, and it is better to completely abandon any dose of alcohol, both in the first and in the last trimester of pregnancy.
Drinking alcohol before pregnancy
It happens that the expectant mother is well aware of the negative effect of alcohol on the development of the embryo, but learns that she is pregnant much later than she quits drinking "intoxicating" drinks. Yes, it happens, but this is a life in which not every woman can plan for conception several months before its actual occurrence.
Medicine does not know the exact effect of alcohol on the embryonic development of the fetus in the earliest stages of pregnancy, so it is better to abandon it completely even before pregnancy. If you did not plan to conceive, but became pregnant, then you must stop taking any alcoholic beverages immediately after it became known about the pregnancy. Do not consume them until after lactation. Only then is it safe to say that you really love your baby and wish him a healthy and happy adult life.
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