All experts agree that not even a drop of alcohol should be tasted during pregnancy, as it crosses the placental barrier in minutes. What the mother drinks, reaches the baby and can cause various disorders in the fetus, such as mental retardation (the most common genetic cause).
However, it seems necessary to insist on the issue, since it is estimated that more than a third of women consume alcohol during pregnancy, something that is often normalized since it is believed that a small amount does not affect the baby.
In fact, recent research from the University of Seville has evaluated alcohol consumption in pregnant women and its determining factors. The data obtained corroborate that alcohol consumption in our social context may be higher than that normally perceived by professionals and health institutions.
There are women more likely to drink alcohol
The study by the University of Seville has also indicated which women are the most likely to maintain their alcohol intake while pregnant: those who previously consumed frequently, those who have had more children, those with the lowest educational level, those who do not have a partner. and those with a lower perceived risk of wine consumption during pregnancy.
For this reason, the researcher Isabel Corrales from the University of Seville, points out the importance that “institutional programs for the prevention of prenatal exposure to alcohol specifically target these groups of women” :
“A quarter of the interviewees (24.6%) declared having consumed alcohol at some point in pregnancy prior to the time of the interview.”
It has also been found that part of pregnant women tend to under-declare actual consumption. For this reason, in addition to the questionnaire that was provided to women in the 20th week of pregnancy in Seville, the researchers will use biomarkers as a future line of research, which will make it possible to establish a more precise estimate of alcohol intake during pregnancy.
Prevention measures to avoid Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Although there are frequent campaigns on the effects of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) in babies, many are pregnant women who do not stop drinking. According to the WHO, as long as alcohol is accessible, affordable and socially acceptable, prevention work is tough.
In Spain, the Ministry of Health and Consumption on its website launches a clear message through an information brochure in favor of abstaining from alcohol consumption during pregnancy. This brochure describes possible complications, informs that there is no period of pregnancy in which alcohol can be safely consumed, and indicates that there is no safe minimum dose, and establishes that there is a dose-effect relationship.
In addition, it guides the pregnant woman on how to act (informing her primary care doctor and obstetrician) if she has taken an alcoholic drink in the preconception period, especially in the period from when she becomes pregnant until she is really aware of it.
Many are the disorders of APS, which in Spain affects two out of every thousand live newborns. It has become the second leading cause of mental retardation and fetal death can occur in the most serious cases. Other disorders associated with this spectrum are malformations, learning, sleep and behavior disorders, difficulties in sucking …
The researcher adds her study suggests that “adequate health advice does not reach a large proportion of pregnant women effectively, particularly those with a lower educational level.”
Via | Sevilla University
Photos | iStock
In Babies and More | World fetal alcohol syndrome day, One in three pregnant women consumes toxic substances such as alcohol, tobacco, drugs or drugs
