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Alcohol and Pregnancy
The risks involved with alcohol use during pregnancy:
Alcohol consumption by the mother is a leading cause of preventable
birth defects in the fetus. Everything a mother drinks also
goes to the fetus. In addition, the risk of miscarriage and
stillbirth increases with alcohol consumption.
One major consequence of drinking alcohol during pregnancy
is a serious condition called fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS).
FAS is the leading cause of mental retardation. In addition,
FAS is characterized by:
- growth retardation in the fetus
- facial defects
- behavioral problems
- eating and sleeping problems in the baby
- sight and hearing problems
- the need for medical care during the child's life
- deformed organs
- central nervous system dysfunction
A less severe, but still detrimental form of fetal alcohol
syndrome is a condition called fetal alcohol effects (FAE).
FAE is present in a larger population of newborns in the US
and is characterized by some physical or mental defects that
can be directly attributed to alcohol use during pregnancy.
Even moderate to light drinking can affect the fetus during
pregnancy. Because no one knows how much alcohol is safe during
pregnancy, the US Surgeon General recommends that pregnant
women avoid alcohol during their pregnancy.
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