Can pregnant women drink vodka. Alcohol during pregnancy - is it possible to drink, the effect on the embryo and the consequences of libations. Is it possible to drink alcohol during pregnancy: the opinion of experts

Interior elements 12.09.2020
Interior elements

Every expectant mother knows that alcohol during pregnancy is harmful. Strong drinks can cause various changes in the human body. The irreversibility of pathological processes depends on the amount of alcohol consumed. It should also be taken into account that it can affect not only the well-being of the mother, but also her unborn baby.

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During pregnancy, insidious alcohol is harmful in any quantities. Therefore, do not rely on the fact that a couple of glasses of wine a week will not interfere with the bearing of a child. Ordinary red wine can seriously affect nascent life.

In the first weeks of your pregnancy, drinking alcohol is especially dangerous. It can cause irreversible consequences. Let's deal with this in more detail.

The harmful effect of alcohol

During pregnancy, a competent doctor will always tell a woman if she can drink alcohol. It's not worth doing. The fact is that due to the regular intake of alcohol in the body of a woman, her placenta ceases to fully fulfill its functions. That is why a developing baby experiences a lack of nutrients.

Toxic liquor is very harmful to pregnant women

In addition, during the breakdown of alcohol, toxins are formed. The liver of a pregnant woman cannot cope with them completely. Because of this, acetaldehyde begins to appear in the body, which is dangerous for the fetus.

When on early dates pregnancy, a woman even occasionally drinks alcohol, the process of division and formation is disrupted in the cells of the fetus. This includes brain cells. This causes a huge number of pathologies. Also learn during pregnancy.

How alcohol affects the fetus

Every woman needs to know exactly how alcohol can affect pregnancy. Occasional or frequent drinking can cause the following anomalies in a baby:

  • pathologies of the central nervous system, including disorders of motor, visual coordination;
  • the appearance of congenital defects in appearance: "cleft palate", "cleft lip";
  • too much short stature a baby can also be a consequence of the influence of harmful alcohol on pregnancy;
  • specific facial features: the baby has very narrow eyes, a flat face, a small head, violations may not appear immediately, but only 2-3 years after birth;
  • insufficient body weight after childbirth, usually the weight of a fetus with serious psychophysical disorders is a maximum of 2.5 kg, if the pathologies are less pronounced, then the children weigh a little more, but still their weight is less than the established norm (however, you need to take into account the structural features of the parents if the mother before pregnancy, she weighed 50 kg, and her height is 160 cm, then 2.5 - 3 kg for her child is the norm);
  • the effect of various alcohol consumed during pregnancy on the fetus can cause preschool and school age the child has difficulties with the assimilation of information;
  • occurrence of congenital heart defects.

During pregnancy, you also need to know if you can use different kinds alcohol later. Even one glass of wine can provoke premature birth. This is only a small part of how alcohol can affect the fetus. IN modern world The number of diagnosed alcohol syndrome in children is constantly increasing.

Doctors ban alcohol during pregnancy

When a woman drinks alcohol in the first month of her pregnancy, the baby can die in 20% of cases. If we compare this indicator for non-drinking mothers, then it is at the level of 2%. Moreover, even if the baby survives, in the vast majority of cases, he will be far behind his peers in physical and mental development. Regular seizures of epilepsy are not ruled out.

Only a third of women who drank alcohol during their early pregnancy have successful children. But usually this well-being is only temporary, and after a few years various developmental problems arise. It is already known that alcohol, which circulates in the blood of a woman, can easily enter the body of the fetus.

When a woman regularly takes alcohol not only before a delay, but also in the early stages of her pregnancy, all systems and vital organs of a woman are often affected: the thyroid gland, heart, nervous system, and liver. These changes can adversely affect the fetus. Alcohol crosses the placenta, so the baby remains defenseless against its harmful effects.

TrimesterThe influence of alcohol
1 trimesterAlcohol in the first weeks of pregnancy disrupts the physical and mental state of the child due to the presence of toxic substances. Alcohol is quickly absorbed through the placenta, which is not an obstacle to it. Alcohol processing products are also harmful. They have a negative impact on nervous system and all cells of the fetal body. Alcohol reduces the amount of vitamins in the blood, disrupts metabolism.
2 trimesterJust like in the early stages of pregnancy, various types of alcohol taken during the 2nd trimester negatively affect the health of the baby. A child may develop a deficiency in growth and body weight, nervous and brain disorders that cause neurological abnormalities, mental retardation, and behavioral disorders. The fetus often develops features in the structure of the face and skull: microcephaly, epicanthus, flattened philtrum upper lip, narrow palpebral fissure, flat wide bridge of the nose.
3rd trimesterThe effect of alcohol on pregnancy in the last trimester is no weaker than in the early stages. During this period, the organs of the fetus complete their development, and alcohol slows down this process. Large doses of alcohol can cause underdevelopment of the nervous and cardiac systems, which often leads to the death of the baby.

Planning for your baby

Planning for conception must begin in advance in order to prevent the negative consequences of drinking alcohol. You need to learn more about whether you can drink alcohol when planning a pregnancy. Not only a woman should take care of herself, but also a man, because during conception, the paternal and maternal germ cells merge. Therefore, the future father is also responsible for the health and development of his children. Keep in mind that it takes about three months for new sperm to mature, so a man needs to stop drinking alcohol.

If you do not completely stop drinking alcohol, sedentary cells with DNA abnormalities that affect the quality of sperm may appear. Three months before the proposed conception, it is necessary to completely stop taking alcohol. Alcohol can interfere with pregnancy planning due to several factors.

  1. Decrease in orgastic feelings.
  2. Decreased erection.
  3. Decreased male libido.

Scientists conducted research and found that slow intrauterine development of the fetus occurs due to the father's addiction to alcohol. It doesn't matter how often he drinks.

Having a healthy baby is a great happiness.

Excessive addiction to alcohol also causes the development of fetal alcohol syndrome. Small doses can reduce sperm motility and viability. Damage to the hereditary and genetic structure of sperm has an extremely negative impact on the health of the unborn child. Some doctors believe that you can drink no more than 25 ml of alcohol per day. This is about 200 grams of dry wine or 60 grams of vodka. However, most doctors are sure that you need to completely give up drinking.

A woman's set of eggs is formed before she is born, while the fetus develops inside the womb. This set will be with her all her life, but it changes under the influence of negative factors. One of them is alcohol.

Alcohol is able to "poison" the eggs, which significantly increases the risk of having a baby with pathologies. Any doctor will answer whether it is possible to drink alcohol at least occasionally during pregnancy, but will not be able to say exactly what dose can poison the eggs. This is a very individual question.

For some women, one glass of wine during their entire pregnancy is enough for the baby to be born weak or with some kind of abnormality. And some future mothers do not limit themselves during conception planning, but this does not affect their baby in any way. In any case, you need to play it safe and give up alcohol six months or a year before conception. This is a prerequisite if you want to give birth to a healthy and strong baby.

Some girls ask doctors if alcohol can affect their pregnancy test. No, not capable. Home diagnostics determines only the increase in the amount of a particular hormone. Alcohol in the blood will not affect her in any way. Find out more and how it works.

Artem Avdeev, gynecologist.

Alcohol in early pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage. So it's not worth the risk. Even a small amount of wine can cause abnormalities in the fetus.

Karina Miloslavskaya, obstetrician-gynecologist.

A moderate amount of discharge can provoke changes in the brain, not to mention the regular use of alcohol. The worst thing is that it is not always possible to fix violations in the development of the baby until he was born.

Arseny Korolev, gynecologist.

Alcohol in early pregnancy affects the central nervous system, liver, and vascular system. The mental potential of the fetus suffers. Passion for drinking will certainly cause serious pathologies and deformities.

: Borovikova Olga

gynecologist, ultrasound doctor, geneticist

No one should doubt that alcohol adversely affects the development of the fetus and the health of the child in the future. Much has been written, heard and discussed about this. However, a considerable number of pregnant women are confident that use and abuse are not the same thing. Is there a difference between these concepts, when new life? Can the expectant mother afford to sip? And what is the permissible dose of alcohol in this crucial period?

Scientists and doctors have repeatedly tried to find out this question. And every time they found a new answer to it. Moreover, there is still no unambiguously correct one among them. But the opinion of scientific luminaries on this matter has changed significantly.

It used to be that a glass of good wine is not only safe, but even beneficial for a pregnant woman. raises hemoglobin and increases appetite - this is extremely important for mom now. Which means it's necessary. No one can establish strict certain limits in permissible doses, since everyone has their own border: the body reacts to alcohol very individually. And what is normal for one woman may be too much for another. On average, they were allowed to drink a glass of wine per week.

But it cost nothing but nothing: to look a little further, inside the woman. Could it be beneficial to the fetus? Today it is proved that the child in the womb "drinks" alcohol with her. True, not in the same amount as mommy, but exactly half of what she took on her chest. Although recent data indicate that alcohol crosses the placental barrier in full. Much can be said about how ethyl alcohol affects the embryo. But to understand the picture, this is usually not required. Because your position and desire drink during pregnancy will depend only on one thing: do you think that for such a tiny and defenseless creature, not yet born, but already living and functioning just like you, there is at least some safe dose of alcohol? Even if he gets 5 grams of the ten you drink? Wouldn't it kill him? And what is even worse: will it cripple?

That is why modern doctors have already taken a completely different position today: there are no safe doses of alcohol during pregnancy. No one (and perhaps even never) will tell you for sure how many grams of wine or will be fatal for your baby. And worst of all: no one except you will be held responsible for this later. This does not mean at all that a sip of beer, for example, can end in tragedy for your offspring. But this does not guarantee the opposite either.

Another recent finding: during pregnancy, there is no difference between alcoholic beverages. And if doctors used to say that whiskey, brandy, vodka, liqueurs and the like are now banned for you, and wine and beer are on the list of what is allowed, then recent scientific research proves something else: any alcohol is equally potentially dangerous for offspring.

Don't panic if you've gone rogue without knowing you're pregnant. In the early days, while the embryo is still on its way to the uterus, it is dangerous only in the sense that it can provoke a spontaneous abortion. But then you will not know about pregnancy. As long as the placenta has not formed and the fetus has not begun to feed on you, there is no danger from alcohol. An average of two weeks between fertilization and missed menstruation are considered absolutely safe. Of course, if for some reason the doses of alcohol were too large and were consumed daily, it is worth telling the doctor about it. If not, relax. But later, once the embryo has landed and begins to develop and grow, alcohol is out of the question! The smallest drop in the first trimester can cause pathologies and deformities. This period is the most important and dangerous.

I would like to say a few words about the father's responsibility for the health of his offspring. If the pregnancy is planned, then the man must give up alcohol at least 4 months before conception in order to eliminate influence of alcohol to heredity. Scientists have established a link between father's alcoholism and delayed intrauterine development of the fetus. Some of them believe that the excessive use of alcohol by the father of the child can also cause him to develop fetal alcohol syndrome. Even small doses of regularly consumed alcohol can reduce sperm motility and damage their hereditary structure, which will negatively affect the health of the unborn child. Is considered safe dose of alcohol about 25 milliliters of alcohol per day, that is, 150-250 grams of dry wine or 60 grams of vodka. How much did your child's father drink?

We don't want to scare you. This is still only a theory, one hundred percent not proven. But the fact that with the onset of pregnancy you are fully responsible for your decisions and actions is an indisputable fact.

If you are adamant and none of the above impresses you, here are some opinions on acceptable doses:

  • Sometimes, 2-3 times during pregnancy, you can afford 100-200 g of natural dry wine.
  • In the second trimester, ethanol increases the risk if a woman drinks more than 30 ml of alcohol twice a week.
  • A 70 kg woman, for example, can drink only 50 g of red wine, and surprisingly, the negative effect after drinking alcohol already begins to act within 90 minutes.
  • Most studies have confirmed that four to five elementary doses of alcohol per day are sufficient for the onset of fetal alcohol syndrome. However, in a mild form, anomalies also occur at two doses per day (28 g of alcohol).
  • If you do drink, then you need to drink one, maximum two drinks a week, and then at mealtimes.

How does alcohol affect pregnancy?

Well, for dessert. Just a couple of facts about the effects of alcohol in a period when you create and control many, if not all, of the conditions for the development of your child. This is exactly what is up to you. This is what you influence and what you decide. And no one else.

  • Moderate alcohol consumption during pregnancy increases the chance of miscarriage, and excessive alcohol consumption often leads to abnormalities in the fetus. Chronic heavy drinking during pregnancy can lead to a developmental abnormality in the fetus called fetal alcohol syndrome.
  • Scientists have proven that mild moderate drinking during pregnancy can lead to long-term changes in the brain, and most importantly, you do not see the damage.
  • If alcohol enters the blood of the fetus, then the liver is primarily affected, vascular system, as well as those brain structures that determine mental activity.
  • If drugs are used along with alcohol, the likely harm to the fetus increases many times over. Of particular danger are painkillers and stimulants, as well as anti-seizure drugs.
  • In a woman, when drinking alcohol, the eggs are damaged, each of which carries the genetic information about your unborn child. So alcohol is dangerous even before pregnancy.
  • The child of “culturally” drinking parents has less body weight, is smaller and lags behind in development from peers born from teetotalers. Such a child has a weakened immune system and is more susceptible to various diseases. But the main thing: he has an innate predisposition to alcoholism.
  • All types of alcohol are toxic to the growing, developing organism of the fetus. Any drink containing alcohol is potentially harmful to the fetus.
  • Be careful with over-the-counter medications

Today, there are different opinions about whether it is possible to drink alcohol during pregnancy. The decision to use alcohol or not, each woman takes on her own. However, when making such a decision, it is necessary to have an idea of ​​\u200b\u200bwhat consequences from taking alcohol may appear in a future newborn child.

Is there an acceptable dose?

Opinions of gynecologists on the permissible dose of alcohol for a pregnant woman differ. Consumption of alcoholic beverages future mother can harm the developing embryo in her body. Therefore, most doctors agree that for the period of pregnancy and until the end breastfeeding mothers should exclude such drinks from their diet.

However, some doctors believe that ethyl alcohol in small quantities, about 100 ml of low-alcohol drinks per week, will not cause significant damage to the health of the unborn child.

When planning

During the period, a woman is advised not to drink alcohol. The fact is that ethyl alcohol can have a negative effect on the eggs contained in her body, thereby reducing their quality, which as a result can lead to health problems in the unborn baby. Medical statistics say that healthy children are more often born to non-drinking mothers than to those who allowed themselves to use alcohol.

During the planning period of pregnancy, a woman is advised not to drink alcohol.

There was no obvious relationship between the child's health and his father's attitude to alcohol. However, in order to avoid a pregnancy fading in a woman, her partner should also give up alcohol during the period of planning a child.

In the early stages

Even before the delay of menstruation, when a woman does not even know about the pregnancy, drinking alcohol can either cause a miscarriage or not harm the fetus in any way. This is possible, since the formation has not yet begun in the first month. internal organs the future baby.

However, as soon as a woman finds out about her new position, she should immediately stop drinking alcohol, as it is especially dangerous in the first trimester of pregnancy. At this time, the embryo is forming tissues, internal organs and the brain. Under development can go wrong, and this process will be irreversible.

In the second trimester, when the organs of the embryo are already formed, it is also not recommended for a pregnant woman to include alcohol-containing drinks in her diet. During this period, the risk of developing pathologies in a child under the influence of alcohol is no longer so great, but ethyl alcohol can provoke premature birth.

At a later date

In the third trimester of pregnancy, the unborn baby is already formed and only continues to grow and develop, but even here alcohol can cause harm by causing fetal hypoxia. The probability of such a development of events is 50%. It is impossible to reliably determine in advance whether a woman will harm her child by drinking or red in small doses. But knowing that even 1 glass can cause big problems in the future, doctors recommend not taking risks and abstaining from alcohol.

What drinks can and cannot

If it is not possible to avoid drinking alcohol, for example, at a family celebration or a friends birthday, then it is better to limit yourself to small doses of weak drinks, such as beer, champagne, dry red wine or vermouth diluted with fruit juice.

There is no safe alcohol during pregnancy.

However, you should always remember that these drinks, especially homemade wine, depending on the method of their preparation, may contain various doses of ethyl alcohol from very small to significant. From strong alcoholic drinks, such as whiskey or vodka, containing 38-40% alcohol, you should immediately refuse.

What if you really want to?

If a pregnant woman wants to drink any alcohol-containing drink for a long time, this may indicate a lack of vitamins and minerals in her body. In order not to fight this craving and not limit your body in getting what you want, alcohol can be replaced with non-alcoholic counterparts. So, if you really want beer, you can drink kvass instead of it without harm to the body and the fetus. Red wine can be easily replaced with pomegranate or grape juice, and sparkling wine- Plain lemonade

A question that worries many pregnant women: is it possible to drink alcohol while in such an interesting position? Doctors unanimously say: no, drinking alcohol when another little man is growing inside a woman is extremely dangerous. Yes, and during breastfeeding, especially in the first three months, alcohol can adversely affect the health of the baby.

Why can't you drink alcohol during pregnancy?

Various studies have shown that alcoholic drinks Even in small quantities, they have a detrimental effect on human body. Alcohol and its decay products in the blood "clog" the circulatory system, make the liver, kidneys and other internal organs work with increased force. Alcohol is quickly absorbed through the walls of the stomach and intestines, which weakens them and makes them work harder.

The effect of alcohol on the body depends on the degree of alcoholization, that is, the time during which strong drinks were taken, and on the intensity of their intake.

Pathological changes in the body will not keep you waiting if you drink alcohol regularly and in large quantities.

The list of diseases associated with alcoholism, alas, is large and widely known not only to medical specialists. Among the "alcoholic" diseases:

  • stroke;
  • cirrhosis of the liver;
  • ulcer of the stomach or intestines;
  • obesity;
  • impotence;
  • dementia and other equally dangerous deviations.

In the case of the embryo in the mother's body, the situation is even more serious. Doctors categorically do not recommend drinking alcohol during pregnancy, even in small quantities.

Consequences of drinking alcohol during pregnancy

The question is often asked: why is it forbidden for expectant mothers to drink even small doses of alcohol? The answer is really simple.

Alcohol easily penetrates into the blood, and together with the blood - into the fetus. The placenta cannot dampen the effects of alcohol. Like a sponge, it absorbs all the substances that fall on it.

Alcohol and its decay products literally bombard the embryo, causing irreversible changes in the structure of internal organs and in the structure of DNA, thereby increasing the likelihood of deformities and incurable diseases. In addition, alcohol, entering the circulatory system, occupies a large part of the blood flow and blocks the flow of oxygen into the body.

The fetus experiences not only oxygen starvation, but also a disadvantage useful substances, which in the mother's body are spent on the fight against the neutralization of alcohol and its decay products. Therefore, it is better not to drink alcohol during pregnancy.

Ethanol, penetrating into the blood of the fetus, causes a teratogenic effect (in Greek, teratos means "monster"). The effect is manifested in the fact that the baby acquires congenital irreversible deformities and deviations. It is not known which of them will appear, but experiments on chicken embryos confirm that with the systematic use of alcohol during pregnancy, the fetuses are born sick and unviable.

So, if a pregnant woman has consumed alcohol, the likelihood that her future child acquires the following deviations:

  • distortion of the development of the facial region (deformities on the face): underdevelopment of the cheekbones, distortion of the lower jaw, cleft lip, narrow eyes, and so on;
  • disproportionate physique;
  • hydrocephalus ("dropsy", big head);
  • dwarfism or gigantism;
  • extremely low birth weight;
  • microcephaly (underdevelopment of parts of the brain);
  • incomplete overgrowth of the spinal canal;
  • heart disease;
  • joint pathology;
  • distortion of the structure of internal organs;
  • myopia and blindness;
  • hermaphroditism.

Of course, it is up to each woman to decide whether pregnant women can drink, but she should be aware of the possible risk.

Is there an acceptable dose?

From time to time, there are reports on the Internet that "according to the latest research, pregnant and lactating women can drink some alcohol." At the same time, it is indicated that the children of women who “slightly” violated the “dry law” are ahead of their peers in development and socialization.

On the other hand, doctors have many examples when even a small dose of alcohol turned out to be fatal for a child. How much you can drink during the time of carrying the fetus, it is up to each woman to decide for herself. However, doctors strongly recommend that you stop drinking any, even the smallest dose of alcohol.

For some reason, it is believed that weak alcoholic beverages, such as beer, champagne or natural red wine, can be consumed during pregnancy. Some researchers even calculate how much alcohol a pregnant woman can drink.

For example, it is believed that there will be no particular harm from drinking 50-100 g of weak alcohol once a week. No studies have been conducted to support or refute this view.

Sometimes the question arises: is it possible to drink moderately during pregnancy? But where is the line between "moderate" and "abuse"?

If you can't, but you want to, then you can?

Do not succumb to persuasion to drink for the company. The question of whether to drink or not to drink, everyone decides for himself. Remember that even “cultural” drinking of alcohol can lead to irreversible changes in the body of the fetus, and an innocent baby will have to pay for your momentary weakness all his life.

If you can’t give up drinking alcohol, you need to mitigate the consequences as much as possible: do not drink on an empty stomach, be sure to have a snack, you can drink a couple of tablets after a glass activated carbon. And even better, if you need to hide the pregnancy, just sip a drink or quietly pour yourself mineral water or refer to the fact that you are driving or drinking drugs that are not compatible with alcohol.

It is believed that alcohol can be drunk while breastfeeding. In fact, the risk for a baby to get an “alcohol hit” is much less than for a fetus. Alcohol does not enter the bloodstream directly, but through milk, a certain amount of it is still perceived by the baby. And this can negatively affect its growth and development. For example, parents who drink alcohol often have delayed physical development. So, is it possible to drink alcohol while breastfeeding, the question is ambiguous. If you care about the health of the baby, it is better not to risk it. And if you have already consumed a couple of glasses of alcohol, it is better to express the incoming milk and feed the baby after a couple of hours. Alcohol accumulates in the mammary gland, and if you feed the baby with this milk, nothing good will come of it.

Alcoholism and bad habits

If you do not abuse alcohol, then the probability of deviations in a child is not as high as in families in which the use of alcohol is in the order of things. And if the relationship between the father's alcoholism and the diseases of his child has not yet been fully proven, then the relationship between the use of alcohol by a pregnant woman and the diseases of the fetus is obvious. In dysfunctional families, both parents of which suffer from alcoholism, sick and mentally retarded children are not uncommon. And even sadder, there is no one to take care of the helpless and defenseless disabled.

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