Alcohol During Pregnancy

Eva Rudolf-Müller is a freelance writer in the medical team. She studied human medicine and newspaper sciences and has repeatedly worked in both areas - as a doctor in the clinic, as a reviewer, and as a medical journalist for various specialist journals. She is currently working in online journalism, where a wide range of medicine is offered to everyone.

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Quite a few women drink alcohol during pregnancy: Up to 80 percent of all pregnant women use wine & Co. because they do not even know that they are pregnant or believe that “a glass” can do no harm. But every time a woman consumes alcohol during pregnancy, the unborn child drinks too - often with fatal consequences. Read more about pregnancy & alcohol!

Pregnancy: blood alcohol levels in the unborn child

Alcohol passes into the blood very quickly and is absorbed through the oral mucosa while drinking. A few minutes later it reaches the expectant mother's brain - and the baby's brain, which then has the same alcohol level. But the baby cannot break down alcohol so quickly: his liver is not yet mature and therefore does not have enough enzymes to break down alcohol. The toxin has a longer time to develop its damaging effect in the unborn child.

Dangerous cell poison

Alcohol (ethanol) and its breakdown products (including acetaldehyde) are poisons that disrupt cell division. Organs with a high metabolism and rapid growth rate are particularly affected, especially the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). The most sensitive phase of brain development includes the first six weeks of pregnancy. But even during the rest of the pregnancy, alcohol-related brain damage can occur with various consequences.

Mental and intellectual problems from alcohol

Alcohol consumed during pregnancy can lead to mental and intellectual deficits or psychological abnormalities in the child: The capacity of the memory and the ability to concentrate are restricted, the ability to speak and the gross and fine motor skills can be impaired; the most common is hyperactivity. Associated with this are later problems in school and training, which can still make support necessary in adulthood.

The fetal alcohol syndrome

In the worst case, alcohol during pregnancy causes “fetal alcohol syndrome” (FAS), also known as alcohol embryopathy. It goes hand in hand with severe mental losses, organ damage and massive behavioral problems. Not only children of alcoholics are at risk: How much the child is affected depends on its genetic makeup. That is why even a few glasses can have fatal consequences. You can find out more about this in the article on fetal alcohol syndrome.

How much alcohol is there in beer, wine & Co.?

Some examples: 0.5 liters of beer contain - depending on the type - 18 to 21 grams of alcohol. For a shandy, the same amount of drink provides around 10 grams of alcohol, for a light beer 12 grams. A quarter of a liter (0.25 l) of wine - regardless of whether it is red or white - contains 20 to 25 grams of alcohol. Depending on the type, 0.25 liters of sparkling wine contain 21 to 30 grams. Anyone who drinks 0.02 liters (2 cl, simple shot / schnapps) of grappa consumes around 6 to 7 grams of alcohol. With 0.02 liters (2 cl) of egg liqueur it is 2 to a little over 3 grams.

Alcohol-free beer & pregnancy

Alcohol-free beers are usually not completely free of alcohol, but can contain up to a maximum of two grams of alcohol in half a liter. If you really want to be on the safe side, you should avoid it during pregnancy!

“No” to alcohol during pregnancy!

No risk-free limit value for alcohol during pregnancy can be established, i.e. no amount of alcohol up to which the child is not harmed in the womb. Even moderate consumption of alcohol can harm the child; on some days, depending on the current developmental processes, even small amounts are sufficient! In Germany, around 10,000 children with mental and physical disabilities are born every year through alcohol consumption during pregnancy. About 4,000 children are born with fetal alcohol syndrome.

For the sake of the child (and also for their own health), women should therefore avoid all alcohol during pregnancy.

Tags:  pregnancy Menstruation Diagnosis