Alcohol & Pregnancy: A Risky Gamble

The number of women who consume alcohol during pregnancy is higher than many people realize. A National Household Survey on Drug Abuse indicated that as many as 14.8% of respondents used alcohol during pregnancy. Research has indicated that binge drinking (consuming many drinks at one time) may cause more severe negative effects than consuming smaller amounts of alcohol over an extended period of time; however, consumption of any amount of alcohol can be risky for the developing fetus.

While this dangerous behavior is found among women of all ages, races, and socioeconomic brackets, women who are unmarried and young, and who have completed less education than others are at an increased risk. A smaller percentage of this group combines alcohol use with one or more other dangerous substances like heroin, cocaine, or marijuana. Although using drugs and alcohol in combination during pregnancy can result in terrible consequences, this article only considers the effects of alcohol use on the child.

Babies born to mothers who abuse any type of substance may go through withdrawal, including all of the potentially painful and uncomfortable side effects that are associated with withdrawal from that substance. In order for a physician to provide effective care to the mother and child, they must first know which substances the fetus was exposed to. For alcohol, specifically, withdrawal signs can be observed within the first three to twelve hours. Once withdrawal begins, the baby may experience any of the following symptoms for a 72-hour period: seizures and/or tremors, irritability, hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), hyperactivity, abdominal distension (bloating of the stomach area), and acidosis (abnormally increased acidity in the blood). Following this phase, the baby may become lethargic for about 48 hours, after which the infant will likely demonstrate normal behaviors.

Physicians treat the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal by placing in the baby in a quiet, darkened room to decrease the potentially stressful effects of excessive sensory stimulation. If the withdrawal is so severe as to have resulted in seizures, the physician may treat the withdrawal symptoms with benzodiazepines. The baby is also assessed for nutritional deficiencies, fed frequently, and observed for anomalies in metabolic status.

Alcohol is known to be a teratogenic substance. This means that it can cross the placenta and cause damage to the developing baby. While some babies born to mothers who used alcohol during pregnancy demonstrate no negative problems as a result of it (which research suggest may be related to genetic differences among mother), others may show signs of the non-reversible Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), the most serious presentation of FASD and a commonly identifiable cause of mental retardation, is characterized by abnormal results in three areas: Central Nervous System damage (such as impaired brain structure and/or growth), certain dysmorphic facial features, and poor overall growth. The baby may also demonstrate Partial Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, which combines the dysmorphic facial features with anomalies in only one of the other two domains. Infants of mothers who use alcohol during pregnancy may also experience alcohol-related birth defects including congenital heart, vision, or kidney abnormalities. Finally, while all other systems may appear to be in order, alcohol can cause Alcohol-Related Neurodevelopment Disorder, resulting in cognitive impairments that may manifest themselves later in life with poor verbal skills, low IQs, and poor memory recall abilities.

Many of these serious problems will follow the child throughout his or her development into adolescence and adulthood. If you or someone you know is struggling to stop using alcohol during pregnancy – or at any point in your life – we encourage you to call eDrug Rehab today to stop this gambling with your own life and the life and well-being of your child.