Foetal Alcohol Syndrome: Things A Mom-to-be Needs To Know

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Remember those pre-motherhood working days in your life when you went out with your office colleagues or friends over a glass or two of wine or champagne? Now that you’ve embarked on your pregnancy journey you really must think twice or thrice before you even touched that glass of “sparkle”.

Drinking alcohol during pregnancy may not impact the baby in the womb positively. Consuming alcohol during pregnancy may lead to a problem called foetal alcohol syndrome.

You must now be wondering what foetal alcohol syndrome is and how to get it treated before your childbirth.

Foetal Alcohol Syndrome

If you drink alcohol during your pregnancy, the alcohol passes through your bloodstream (the placenta is an extremely essential organ for foetal development) to your child in your womb via the umbilical cord and cord blood. The baby while being cuddled inside won’t be able to absorb the alcohol like you, as his or her liver does not mature till the last stage of pregnancy. Since the developing baby inside you cannot break down the alcohol that you consume, the alcohol stays in your body for a long time and the precious little one is deprived of food and oxygen that he or she needs to grow, thus impacting the overall health of the child, after his or her birth. 

The Effects of Foetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder

Approximately 1% to 5% of children suffer from this problem. But it lasts for a lifetime. The disorder may severely or mildly affect the child. It may also vary from one child to another. Going deeper, foetal alcohol spectrum disorders are grouped together with various signs and symptoms ranging on a scale of least to most effects. Some of the conditions mentioned below are: 

Partial Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (pFAS)

is when the facial features of a child change, but he or she does not have all the symptoms or characteristics of Foetal Alcohol Syndrome.

The child will feel inattentive, and impulsive and shall have difficulty dealing with challenges.

Your child will have defects in the heart, eyes, ears, ears, etc., giving rise to birth defects in your baby. 

A Neurobehavioral Disorder Associated With Prenatal Alcohol Exposure (ND-PAE)

Your child will have difficulty in doing his or her regular activities like bathing and having trouble thinking. Some children might even throw severe tantrums.

Ways To Treat Foetal Alcohol Syndrome During Pregnancy

Since alcohol can do damage from the first trimester, going to the doctor early can surely help from the first stage of pregnancy. Early detection is prevention. A biomarker could detect the use of alcohol during your pregnancy. That said, the doctor may always tell you to avoid consuming alcohol during pregnancy. The healthcare practitioner also knows that it is difficult to be devoid of something that you’re so habituated to, as there are no safe limits to consuming alcohol during pregnancy, but staying away from the golden colour and sparkling is the way to go. However, the only solution would be to quit alcohol.

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