Free Essay about Drinking Alcohol during Pregnancy

It is critical to remember that no amount of alcohol is considered safe and will undoubtedly bring no health benefits to the baby. Alcohol is regarded as a teratogen-a substance that is unsafe for human development. Since babies are smaller beings compared to adults, alcohol breakdown is much slower than in a grown adult. This means that it remains in a baby's bloodstream much longer than in the mothers, therefore, leading to potentially irreversible harm to the development of the baby. The baby is in constant growth and development state hence during the first month of pregnancy, the heart, legs, and the central nervous system is developing. The brains develop around the third week and continue to grow throughout the pregnancy.

The baby grows rapidly in the third trimester, and any amount of alcohol in the mother's system can cause severe congenital disabilities which may be irreversible. If you did not know you were expectant and you consumed alcohol, the best measures to take is to stop immediately. In cases of addiction, there are organizations that can offer help such as the National Alcohol and Drug Hope line among others. Also, any pregnant woman who has difficulties cutting down on drinking should consult their doctor. Local counselling services may also offer confidential support in such cases. They include Addiction which is a UK-based agency that helps not only pregnant women to manage effects of alcohol and drug abuse but also other members of the society. The Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is another self -help group which involves regularly helping teams to get sober.

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References

Alliston, L. (2014). Drinking Alcohol during Pregnancy: A Literature Review.

Americanpregnancy.org. (n.d.). Drinking Wine during Pregnancy: Safety and Risks. Retrieved from http://americanpregnancy.org/is-it-safe/wine-during-pregnancy/

Aubrey, A. (2017, September 12). Is One Drink OK For Pregnant Women? Around The Globe, the Answer Is No. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2017/09/12/550152771/is-one-drink-ok-for-pregnant-women-around-the-globe-the-answer-is-no

Howard, J. (2017, September 11). Is light drinking while pregnant OK? Retrieved from https://edition.cnn.com/2017/09/11/health/drinking-alcohol-pregnant-study/index.html