SCRIPT NUMBER 160
ALCOHOL AND PREGNANCY - 2
(ONE SPEAKER)
PROGRAM NAME: HEALTH NUGGETS
PROGRAM TITLE: ALCOHOL AND PREGNANCY - 2
PROGRAM NUMBER: 160
SUBJECT: CONSEQUENCES OF DRINKING ALCOHOL WHILE PREGNANT,
TREATMENT AND PREVENTION OF ALCOHOL-RELATED
BIRTH DEFECTS.
KEY WORDS: WOMB, FETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME, MENTAL
RETARDATION, BIRTH DEFECTS, BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS
DATE OF SCRIPT: APRIL 18, 2014
AUTHOR: RICHARD YUKL, MD, FACS
Sabrina was a beautiful 23-year old woman living in Mexico. She had a
boyfriend, and they spent many evenings drinking and dancing at their local
tavern. The couple was sexually involved, but they kept their sexual relationship
a secret because none of their parents would have approved due to their
religious beliefs. Unfortunately, Sabrina became pregnant. When her parents
learned of it, they predicted that God would punish her for her sins. She delivered
a baby boy nine months later, and he was born with a curved spine, heart
defects, abnormal facial features, and a small head.
Today, I will talk about the effects of drinking alcohol during pregnancy on a
baby’s development. Many people are not aware. Research has shown that an
unborn baby has very little tolerance for alcohol. The alcohol that a pregnant
woman drinks quickly travels through her bloodstream to her womb, where it
enters her baby’s bloodstream. Babies cannot absorb alcohol as rapidly as
adults, so their blood alcohol level rises, and that interferes with their body’s
ability to get enough oxygen to nourish their developing tissues and organs.
The most severe outcome of drinking alcohol while pregnant is that baby is born
with what doctors call “fetal alcohol syndrome”, a condition that causes bony
deformities such as dislocated hips and a curved spine, heart defects, abnormal
facial features, and a small head with a damaged brain. Damage occurs before
birth and continues after birth. Sadly, Sabrina’s baby was born with fetal alcohol
syndrome, and he is now experiencing learning problems at school because of
mental retardation and a short attention span. His alcohol-related defects are
permanent. They will cause him a lifetime of physical and emotional pain.
Even if the baby of an alcohol-drinking mother is born without fetal alcohol
syndrome, they may be born with some of the birth defects, or they may develop
mental, physical, or behavioral problems later in life. A woman may reason that
her baby will be safe if she only drinks alcohol occasionally during her
pregnancy. No one knows how much harm is caused when a developing baby is
exposed to occasional, small amounts of alcohol before birth. It is clear, however,
that the more you drink while pregnant, the greater the risk to your unborn baby.
It is also clear that the most severe damage to a baby occurs when a mother
drinks alcohol during the first three months of her pregnancy - the critical time
during which key stages of baby’s development are occurring. Unfortunately,
many women aren’t even aware they're pregnant during those early days of
pregnancy.
The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has studied the
problem and concluded that, “Exposure to alcohol by a developing baby is one of
the main preventable causes of birth defects and developmental problems”.
Experts in that country warn that fetal alcohol syndrome is completely
preventable if a woman doesn't drink alcohol during pregnancy, and that all
babies born to mothers who drink while pregnant are at risk for alcohol-related
damage.
So, how can you protect your baby from being born with serious alcohol-related
birth defects? Women who are pregnant, and women who are trying to become
pregnant, should avoid drinking alcohol entirely. If you are one of those women
and you find it difficult to stop drinking, be driven to stop by the knowledge that
there is no cure for fetal alcohol syndrome, and that doctors haven’t identified
any safe alcohol level for a pregnant woman. The physical and mental defects
your baby may suffer will last a lifetime. Ask your doctor for help in finding a
treatment program to help you overcome your misuse of alcohol.
What can you do if you've already given birth to a baby with fetal alcohol
syndrome? Children with the syndrome have both physical and mental defects.
They will likely face behavioral problems such as not completing schooling and
drug abuse. The single most important thing you can do to protect them is to
provide a stable, nurturing home. You may find the following suggestions helpful:
Teach your child the basic skills of daily living, and closely follow daily routines so
your child can become accustomed to them. Develop simple rules and limits, and
reinforce acceptable behavior by pointing it out and rewarding it. Guard against
your child being abused by their friends and playmates, and carefully choose
whom you ask to care for that child when you need to be away. Also, ask your
doctor for help identifying the support services that are available in your area.
It is easier to prevent fetal alcohol syndrome in your baby than it is to treat it, so
let’s go over those preventative measures one more time. Fetal alcohol
syndrome is completely preventable in babies whose mothers don't drink during
pregnancy, so don’t drink alcohol during your childbearing years if you're sexually
active and having unprotected sex. You may become pregnant, and your baby’s
brain, heart and blood vessels begin to develop before you even realize you’re
pregnant. If you have a problem with quitting the drinking of alcohol, get help to
stop drinking before you get pregnant. If you do drink alcohol and you become
pregnant, the sooner you stop drinking, the safer it will be for your baby.
God blessed women with a beautiful mechanism by which they can bring new life
into the world. A mother can help to deliver a healthy baby if she takes
precautions to safeguard baby’s development. It may take considerable effort on
your part, but don’t give birth to a baby who will be damaged for life because of a
habit that you failed to control.
Health Nuggets is written by Dr. Richard Yukl, a medical doctor working in the
United States. The medical views expressed in this program are his and may
differ for your particular health needs. If you need medical advice, please consult
a medical professional in your area.