Alcohol consumption by a pregnant woman can cause her baby to lose weight at birth and impair his mental capacity in the future. These conclusions were reached by a group of scientists from the University of Bristol in the UK. The research is published in the scientific journal Journal of Epidemiology.
"Our work confirms the point of view accepted in the scientific community: alcohol consumption during pregnancy negatively affects the cognitive abilities of children. This further affects their education. Also, a child whose mother drank alcohol during pregnancy has reduced birth weight," explained Professor of the Department of Epidemiology at the University of Bristol Louise Zuccolo.
The researchers analyzed 23 published studies on the effects of alcohol consumed during pregnancy on the fetus. During them, systematic observations of expectant mothers were carried out: both for those who did not drink alcohol at all during pregnancy and those who allowed themselves to drink. The frequency of alcohol consumption and the strength of the drinks were also taken into account. Scientists have come to the conclusion that a pregnant woman should completely abstain from even a small amount of alcohol during all three trimesters of pregnancy, and not just the first, as some doctors believe.
As experts explain, after the consumption of alcohol by a pregnant woman, alcohol first enters the bloodstream, then into the placenta, and ultimately goes to the child. As you know, any use of alcohol has a detrimental effect on the cells of the child's brain, which is not yet fully formed.
