Categories: Substance Abuse

The Pros and Cons of Drinking Alcohol While Pregnant

There are only a few women seriously thinking about drinking alcohol while being pregnant.

Although it is quite uncommon to see pregnant women drinking, according to a recent study there could be some good sides of consuming some alcohol during pregnancy.

Information about drinking during pregnancy

There has been a recent study conducted regarding pregnant women having a drink or two on no more than two days per week     . 12,000 women participated in the study and the specialists asked them how much they drank during their pregnancy and how often.

After the birth of the children the specialists were working with them to find new information regarding drinking during pregnancy and they were assessing their behavior.

The results showed that the mothers who had a drink from time to time had children with fewer behavioral and cognitive problems than others.

It is interesting to know that, when it comes to drinking alcohol while pregnant, in other countries it is socially allowed for women to have a drink every now and then, but in the U. S. people are more severe, and the obstetricians say that the only way to protect the babies is to practice total abstinence.

The truth

In case you are thinking about drinking during pregnancy, you should know that at this point it isn’t certain who is right and who is wrong.

Some of the specialists say that it is alright to have a few drinks while others are of the opinion that pregnant women should never drink.

Still both of the parties agree regarding drinking alcohol while being pregnant that women shouldn’t have too much to drink. There is clear evidence that consuming significant amounts of alcohol is harmful for the baby but there is no clear evidence indicating whether small amounts are harmless or harmful.

When it comes to drinking during pregnancy, some specialists refer to toxicology. According to this even the most toxic poisons in small amounts are harmless. On the other hand, in large amounts everything could be toxic, including water.

What is too much?

If you would like to be drinking alcohol while being pregnant, the bad news is that there is no information regarding how much alcohol is acceptable for pregnant women to drink. Think about light drinking: having a drink every week is light drinking. Having a glass of wine a few days per week is also light drinking.

But is drinking a glass of wine every day light drinking or women should get drunk to be considered heavy drinkers? If you are thinking about drinking alcohol during pregnancy you should know that dose and frequency are the most important factors of drinking in this case.

If you are thinking about the effects of drinking alcohol while pregnant you should know that in case the mother had a drink a few times during her pregnancy, there will be no visible signs upon birth. Nonetheless the problems could appear on the long run, as the baby gets older.

Decisions, decisions

Since there is no certain evidence regarding drinking alcohol during pregnancy, it is up to women to decide whether they are willing to take the risks and have a drink from time to time or they prefer practicing total abstinence.

Wine could be quite tempting because it is known for having relaxing effects and it is also known that it has several health benefits. This is why it is no wonder that even pregnant women indulge with a glass of wine from time to time. Are they right or are they making a mistake? The jury is still out on this one.

The Pros and Cons of Drinking Alcohol While Pregnant was last modified: April 30th, 2012 by pnreddy1
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