Expecting sober

Experts are still unsure how much, if any, alcohol is completely safe for you to have while you are pregnant.

Obstetrician and gynaecologist at Netcare Alberlito Hospital, Dr Leneque X Lindeque said this advice can extend to those woman who are planning to fall pregnant, as pregnancies are usually diagnosed six weeks after conception has occurred.

Here are Dr Lindeque’s three facts about alcohol during pregnancy:

1. When you drink, alcohol passes from your blood through to the placenta, or after-birth, and directly to your baby. The liver, responsible for metabolising toxins, is the last organ to mature and does not do so until the late stages of pregnancy. For this reason your baby cannot process alcohol as well as an adult can and too much exposure to alcohol can seriously affect their development.

2. Drinking alcohol in the first few months of pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage, premature birth of your baby and having a low birth weight.

3. Your unborn child could have learning difficulties, behavioral problems and a serious condition called Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) characterised by poor growth, facial abnormalities and learning or behavioural problems.

So the next time the craving for a tall glass of wine hits you, reflect on the consequences and grab a healthy, alcohol free alternative.

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