SPECIAL PREGNANCY CASES The following sections will help you with understanding and coping with special pregnancy cases such as obesity, ectopic pregnancy, malpresentation, multiple gestation, grand multipara and others.

Alcohol abuse in Pregnancy

• What can the effect of alcohol abuse be on my baby?
• What is fetal alcohol syndrome?
• Can I breast feed my baby if I have been taking alcohol?
• What are the effects of smoking on my baby?

ALCOHOL AND PREGNANCY JUST DONT GO TOGETHER AND REMEMBER THAT WHEN YOU DRINK, SO DOES YOUR BABY AND NO AMOUNT OF ALCOHOL IS KNOWN TO BE SAFE DURING PREGNANCY.

Alcohol addiction is common in today’s world but intake during pregnancy can be detrimental. Even as much as one beer, glass of wine or mixed drink contains about half an ounce of absolute alcohol.

Maximum damage is related to alcohol intake in the first trimester.

Alcohol transfer is greater during late gestation.

IMPACT OF EXPOSURE TO ALCOHOL ON DEVELOPMENT

FETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME

It is the worst impact leading to mental retardation with physical abnormalities? This is characterized by growth restriction before and after birth, defects in the limbs, heart and facial characteristics- nose is upturned and short, upper jawbone is also flat and the child has behavioral problems. These children may also have speech problems.

• Impaired fertility
• Fetal wastage
• Observable birth defects(limb defects, heart defects, organ failures, facial deformities, central nervous system disorders, hearing and vision problems, immune system deficits etc )
• Medical problems
• Growth retardation
• Normal outcomes

All the problems may not be seen in all pregnancies or babies but even one of them is a reason enough to abstain from alcoholism in pregnancy

It has also been seen that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption in pregnancy because even 1-2 glasses per day can give rise to milder birth defects in these children.

Also social drinking is better avoided …

ALCOHOL AND BREAST FEEDING

After delivery, you can resume drinking as it is not passed on in the breast milk. but it has been proved that odor of milk may change leading to less consumption of milk.

AFTER DELIVERY BABY MAY EXIBIT ALCOHOL WITHDRAWL SYNDROME IF MOTHER HAS BEEN DRINKING TILL THE END .SO IT BECOMES IMPORTANT TO DETOXIFY THE MOTHER BEFORE LABOR.

Children of alcoholic mothers also show poor academic performance.
In effect it is good to avoid alcohol during pregnancy, even better to prohibit for life.

Time to inform your partner that even father’s heavy alcohol consumption before conception can result in FETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME.ALSO alcohol intake by the father has been cited as one possible cause of intrauterine growth restriction.