There is hardly a person who has not heard about negative impact alcohol on conceiving a child. However, some find it so difficult to give up the habit of alcohol that they literally demand that experts name the dose of alcohol that is safe for conception.
It can’t do without hidden advertising from manufacturers of intoxicating drinks: from time to time, clearly ordered “research results of authoritative scientists” appear in the media, indicating that certain types of alcohol (beer, wine) supposedly stimulate reproductive function. In order to understand the dangers of drinking alcohol immediately before or after conception, let’s look at how they affect the reproductive system.
Is it possible to drink alcohol before conceiving?
People knew back in ancient times that alcohol consumed by a mother can lead to the birth of a sick child. Therefore, in many nations even beer was prohibited for women under 30 years of age. Society treated men much more leniently. Only excessive drunkenness was condemned.
Only in the 20th century were studies conducted that clearly showed that father's alcoholism is almost more dangerous to children's health than mother's drunkenness. It turned out that 70% of chronic alcoholics had drinking fathers, and only 10% had mothers. Even more impressive were the statistics collected in one of the psychiatric clinics in Paris at the beginning of the 20th century. It turned out that every fifth mentally retarded child had a father who was a drunkard.
The effect of alcohol on male fertility
Ethanol is a poison for the body, but in addition, it is also an excellent solvent. Once in the stomach, alcohol is very quickly absorbed into the blood. Its concentration can be especially high in seminal fluid. Moreover, alcohol takes the longest time to be eliminated from the reproductive system, that is, the consequences of drinking affect within several days.
Seminal fluid, into which ethanol enters, turns into an aggressive environment. If the sperm of a healthy sober man contains only 25% of pathological sperm (with defects), then in a drunk man this figure can exceed 50%. Under normal conditions, pathological sperm are rarely involved in conception: they are inactive and most often non-viable. But in semen containing ethanol, the movement of healthy sperm slows down. As a result, the risk that the egg will be fertilized by a sperm with damaged DNA increases significantly.
It is known that sperm maturation (spermatogenesis) takes about three months. And at any moment, ethanol can negatively affect their DNA. Accordingly, a man who wants to conceive a healthy child must abstain from alcohol for at least three months.
It should also be taken into account that under the influence of alcohol, zinc is intensively removed from the body. The lack of this microelement in the blood leads to a decrease in potency. Therefore drinking man the chances of conceiving a child are much less than those of someone who leads healthy image life.
The effect of alcohol on a woman's reproductive function
When a girl is born, her ovaries already contain about 500 thousand follicles. This is a supply for life. During the reproductive period, only 400–500 of them will mature.
Absorbed into the blood and entering the woman’s reproductive system, ethanol destroys the DNA of the eggs. Some of them die. If a woman does not abuse alcohol, then ovulation occurs on time, and the supply of follicles is such that the loss of even a few thousand will not harm reproductive function.
However, there are cases when an egg with damaged DNA not only survives, but is also fertilized. Then a sick child may be born. For example, the reason for the birth of conjoined twins is precisely damage to the DNA of the egg. No one knows which egg will be ripe for fertilization. But the more a woman drinks, the worse the condition of her follicles and the higher the likelihood of conceiving a child with mental or physical disabilities.
So it doesn’t really matter when the girl abused alcohol: in her early youth or on the day of conception. Therefore, for any woman of childbearing age, moderation in the consumption of even low-alcohol alcoholic beverages is necessary condition for the birth of a healthy baby.
But all of the above does not mean that a woman is allowed to drink alcohol immediately before sexual intercourse (some particularly desperate ladies may assume that things can’t get any worse). Indeed, doctors claim that if the expectant mother is drunk at the time of conception, this will not affect the condition of the fertilized egg.
Another thing is scary: under the influence of ethanol, the secretion of secretory fluid in the fallopian (uterine) tubes increases, which can cause blockage. It takes several days for a fertilized egg to fallopian tube get into the uterus and gain a foothold there. Due to a blockage in the fallopian tube, the egg begins to develop in it without ever reaching the uterus. Thus, drinking alcohol immediately before or after conception increases the risk of ectopic pregnancy.
Is it possible to drink alcohol after conception?
Sometimes a woman who discovers that she is pregnant remembers with horror that she drank a glass of wine a few days after conception. Don’t be especially scared: at least five days pass from conception to the embryo’s fixation in the uterus (implantation). During this period, alcohol in the mother’s body will not harm the unborn child.
But when the embryo settles in the uterus and begins to develop, it becomes very sensitive to both ethanol and its breakdown products (acetaldehyde). Even small doses of alcohol can cause spasms of the blood vessels of the placenta and umbilical cord.
The embryo simply suffocates due to lack of oxygen, and oxygen starvation provokes disturbances in the development of the fetus. Very often, children of drinking mothers are born premature, with diseases of the central nervous system, and anomalies of various organs.
Doctors believe that if the expectant mother feels well, then during the entire period of pregnancy she is allowed to drink a glass of dry wine once or twice. However, it must be remembered that excessive alcohol consumption at any stage of pregnancy can lead to miscarriage.
Alcohol and conceiving a healthy child are incompatible. Therefore, when planning a pregnancy, future parents should completely abstain from alcohol and also undergo a preliminary medical examination.
In a situation where conception is not planned, one of the most common risk factors for the birth of a child with a pathology remains the alcohol intoxication of the parents at the time of conception. And, despite the fact that scientists continue to debate on this issue, the theory of direct influence on physical and psychological condition offspring of toxins, where alcohol plays a leading role.
But in in this case The real concern is for couples with a chronic problem of alcoholism. We will try to study a situation in which parents allowed themselves only a couple of glasses of wine or a bottle of beer.
Let's start with the basics. "Drunk conception" and its consequences
Since the process of sperm maturation lasts about 3 months, it is logical to assume that “old cells” that are not spoiled by alcohol are involved in conception.
However, recent studies by Canadian doctors have confirmed the opposite point of view. It has been found that alcohol has an almost immediate effect on the spermatic fluid, which maintains the viability of sperm. Normally, the sperm of healthy non-drinking men contains up to 25% of pathological sperm (indicators of a normal spermogram), but their chances of participating in conception are much lower than those of healthy germ cells. However, after drinking alcohol, the chances of healthy and pathological cells are almost equal! The result of this can be disastrous: the egg is fertilized by a defective sperm, and the child is born with various abnormalities caused by genetic defects. Recent studies have shown that the alcohol content in semen corresponds to the alcohol content in the blood. And alcohol can cause disturbances in the chromosomal composition of sperm.
The maturation of the egg in a woman’s body occurs every month; this process can be influenced various factors, including alcohol. However, deformities do not occur during the preimplantation period; in other words, alcohol consumed by a mother during the period from the beginning of her last menstrual period to conception is unlikely to harm her unborn child. But alcohol drunk by a man 23 months before conception and especially on the day of conception has a detrimental effect on the physical and mental health of his offspring, since this is precisely the period necessary for the maturation of sperm.
But after this short period, the embryo becomes extremely sensitive to all harmful factors, which can lead to both its death and the occurrence of severe deformities and diseases if the fetus remains alive. In the first two weeks after conception, nature acts on the “all or nothing” principle. Only a healthy embryo develops at this time. If cells are damaged by alcohol, strong drugs, nicotine or infection, they stop dividing. Then it happens very early miscarriage, in the form of delayed menstruation. If the embryo develops further, this is the most reliable indicator that you have not harmed it in any way. But from now on, the expectant mother celebrates only with soft drinks!
A pregnant woman, even with all her desire, cannot drink alone: company to the expectant mother will always be an unborn child.
The widely held belief that alcohol can harm the fetus only when the umbilical cord and placenta have already formed is completely wrong! Ten to fourteen days after the fertilized egg passes through the oviduct into the uterus, it takes root in the uterus. At this stage there is still no connection through the umbilical cord between the blood circulation of the mother and the child. Despite this, maternal blood flows to the embryo, including through the yolk sac. If alcohol enters the mother's blood through the stomach and small intestine, it can reach the fetus and disrupt cell division.
There is also a misconception that a glass of wine is less harmful if the formation of the child’s organs has completed. Alcohol can harm a child at any time. But it is absolutely true that the first three months are a particularly dangerous phase. Since at this time the child’s organs begin to form and develop, the adverse effects of alcohol on cell division can especially easily lead to developmental defects. The brain is especially vulnerable: under the influence of alcohol, fewer brain cells are formed, which affects the size of the brain. In the fourth and sixth months of pregnancy, alcohol primarily interferes with the growth of the fetus. At the same time, the risk of miscarriage increases two to four times if a pregnant woman drinks more than 30 ml of alcohol twice a week. At the seventh-ninth month the child has a new growth spurt. Since the brain is actively developing and growing, and connections are being formed between cells, the effects of alcohol are especially harmful during this period: it negatively affects both processes.
Both the alcohol itself (ethanol) and its breakdown products, such as acetaldehyde, have a damaging effect on the fetus. Ethanol leads to spasm of the blood vessels of the placenta and umbilical cord, impairing the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the fetus. Acetaldehyde has a detrimental effect on the cells of the embryo, leading to changes in the genetic material (DNA), which causes various deformities. Alcohol disrupts the exchange of vitamins and hormones in the tissues and organs of the fetus. The central nervous system is especially sensitive to it, which subsequently causes intellectual and behavioral disorders in the child. Alcohol consumption by a woman during pregnancy significantly increases the risk of miscarriage, low birth weight babies, and in the most severe cases contributes to the development of fetal alcohol syndrome. This syndrome is associated with intrauterine alcohol damage and is characterized by specific facial anomalies, physical and mental retardation. mental development, behavioral abnormalities, damage to the heart, genitourinary system and other organs. Unfortunately, the consequences of intrauterine damage to the fetus are irreversible and practically impossible to treat.
To drink or not to drink?
A reasonable question arises: does the severity of the harm caused to a child’s health depend on the amount of alcohol, the regularity of its use, or on something else? Of course, the amount and frequency of alcohol consumption play an important role in the nature of the consequences of alcohol exposure on the fetus. According to research, daily intake of 30 grams of alcohol or other alcoholic beverages by a pregnant woman in terms of alcohol is associated with a high risk of developing fetal alcohol syndrome in the child. But there is no single dose of alcohol that is safe for everyone! It was revealed that fetal alcohol syndrome also occurred in children whose mothers consumed only 3 x 5 g of alcohol daily. The harmfulness of alcohol to the fetus depends on the characteristics of the mother’s body in processing alcohol and reaction to alcohol, the state of the woman’s organs and systems at the time of pregnancy, the nature of the diet, accompanying bad habits, for example, smoking, fetal genotype (it depends on the germ cells involved in conception), gestational age and many other points.
Ethanol easily crosses the placental barrier, quickly enters the fetal blood, and as a result, a so-called teratogenic effect can occur, that is, the ability to cause congenital deformities.
Of course, there is no need to panic if you drink a glass of dry wine or half a can of beer once or twice during your pregnancy. However, if this has entered your system, the risk of falling into one of the “critical periods” when the fetus is sensitive to the effects external factors especially large, increasing many times. And such a whim can cost not only physical and mental health, but even the life of your child. The fact is obvious: it is unwise to expose the fetus to even minimal risk. Therefore, the recommendations of most doctors remain very categorical: drinking alcohol during pregnancy should be completely avoided!
It’s even better for future parents to stop drinking alcohol in the period preceding conception (at least 3 months before it).
In 100 grams of drink:
Women who drink one to two units of alcohol per day during the first three months of pregnancy appear to have twice the risk of miscarriage in the second trimester of pregnancy compared to non-drinkers. Often the causes of miscarriages are early stages During pregnancy, in this case, various genetic anomalies and developmental disorders occur, some of which may be a consequence of the effects of alcohol. Thus, no matter how blasphemous it sounds, according to the laws of nature, pathological genetic material is “rejected”. Summarizing the results of the conversation, we can draw the following conclusions:
Apparently, expectant parents should listen to the opinion of most experts, and if they are interested in pregnancy and birth healthy child, at least 3 months before the planned conception, exclude the possibility of various harmful effects, including alcohol. Remember that we are talking about the health of children, which should not be risked.
As you know, the alcohol that we consume in the form of drinks is ethyl alcohol or ethanol.
Everyone also knows that it is capable of causing a variety of changes in the human body. The manifestation and severity of these changes depend on the duration and intensity of the influence of alcohol on the body - the so-called alcoholization, and also to a large extent on the individual characteristics of the person. The complex of pathological manifestations that occur with prolonged excessive drinking of alcohol is called alcoholic disease. Its symptoms, alas, are well known, and I will not dwell on them.
However, the saddest thing is that alcohol can affect not only the health of the drinker, but also his offspring.
True, numerous studies have been unable to establish a direct connection between the father’s alcoholism and any pathological abnormalities in his child. However, be complacent stronger sex should not, since alcoholic illness in men manifests itself, among other things, in sexual dysfunction in general: decreased libido, potency, and others.
But as for women, drinking alcohol during pregnancy is far from harmless. Ethanol easily crosses the placental barrier, quickly enters the fetal blood, and as a result, a so-called teratogenic effect can occur, that is, the ability to cause congenital deformities (from the Greek teratos monster).
There is such a thing as fetal alcohol syndrome, or fetal alcohol syndrome (the abbreviation FAS Foetal Alcohol Syndrome is used to name it). Fetal alcohol syndrome is a condition caused by the teratogenic effect of ethanol on developing fetus during critical periods of development, the results of which are:
How much alcohol can cause such tragic consequences?
Unfortunately, it is impossible to clearly define the threshold zones of alcoholization at which fetal alcohol syndrome develops. They are strictly individual and related to individual characteristics metabolism, the so-called pharmacogenetic profile of the body. Therefore, fetal alcohol syndrome may not manifest itself in a binge alcoholic and may manifest itself in a woman who drinks alcohol quite moderately. Thus, it is impossible to establish safe doses of alcohol consumption during pregnancy without knowing the characteristics of the enzyme systems of the woman’s body.
A woman can afford 100 x 200 g of natural dry wine 23 times during pregnancy with virtually no risk. But not more.
It is also IMPORTANT to note that if a woman drank alcohol without knowing that she was pregnant, she should under no circumstances request a referral for an abortion, because fetal development pathology is mainly observed with chronic ethanol consumption. Therefore, in this case, you just need to lead a healthy lifestyle from the moment you become pregnant. The main thing is not to tempt fate.
Based on materials from Chelebi Gagaev, obstetrician-gynecologist, candidate of medical sciences, associate professor of the department of obstetrics and gynecology of RUDN University.
Nowadays it is difficult to find a man who does not drink alcohol even in small quantities. Almost any man drinks beer, vodka or other alcoholic drinks without thinking about the effects of alcohol on the body. For men, drinking beer or vodka is the ability to relax. Today the market is represented by a wide variety of alcoholic drinks, ranging from light cocktails to vodka or cognac. Alcohol consumption today is not controlled in any way. This was not the case in ancient times. Previously, laws were passed according to which women were prohibited from drinking alcohol until the age of 30, that is, during childbearing age. All this was for a reason. There was an opinion that alcohol in diluted or pure form affects pregnancy and the baby itself.
As for men, there were no restrictions for them. Similar laws were issued in Ancient India and Rome. Today, due to the rapid development of medicine, the negative effect of alcohol on conception, pregnancy and fetal health has been proven. The effect on the male body is of greatest importance, since a man drinks more women. It is worth considering in more detail how alcohol affects conception in men, its effect on sperm and potency.
Effect on male reproductive cells
Men exposed to alcohol may experience the following health problems: damage to internal organs, neuropsychiatric disorders, decreased immunity, impaired potency and fertilization function. Everyone knows that alcohol affects the quality of sperm and sperm. How does this manifest itself? It is known that for complete fertilization in a woman’s body, sperm must be mobile and healthy. Their total number is also of great importance.
Alcohol affects conception in men in such a way that as a result of its systematic use, reproductive cells lose their mobility.
In addition to all this, their number is decreasing. Hypospermia or aspermia may occur. All this contributes to the fact that fertilization of the egg does not occur.
In more severe cases, alcohol disrupts the genetic apparatus of sperm, and during the formation of the zygote and fetus, various genetic anomalies and deformities may occur. Very often, mentally retarded children (with Down syndrome) are born to alcoholic parents and developmental anomalies are observed. Conceiving in men is a serious matter, so before planning a child, you need to give up alcohol at least 3 months before fertilization. Sperm are renewed in men every 3-4 months. In case of toxic effects physical activity male germ cells are reduced by an average of 20%.
Conceiving a child while intoxicated
Alcohol and conception are two incompatible things. Many people will wonder how alcohol affects conception in men while drunk. Alcohol very quickly penetrates the blood and spreads to all cells and tissues of the body. Scientists have proven that alcohol consumption during direct fertilization prevents conception, because the germ cells are among the first to be affected by alcohol. Normally, the gonads contain approximately 25% of pathological sperm, which are not capable of fertilizing an egg.
When drinking beer, vodka or any other similar drink, active sperm are affected. As a result, almost all cells reduce their activity and mobility, which reduces the chances of successful conception. Alcohol has a dual effect on sperm: firstly, it reduces the quality of sperm, and secondly, it reduces its production by the sex glands. All this happens quite quickly. This fact suggests that in order to conceive, parents must be sober.
The effect of alcohol on conception can manifest itself in, which in turn will lead to the impossibility of fertilization. It has been proven that drinking 100 g of alcohol per day has a negative effect on the central nervous system and reduces sexual desire (libido). In addition, if certain parts of the brain are damaged, the production of germ cells may be affected. To conceive a child, it is important that sexual partners have close contact and attraction to each other.
With the constant entry of alcohol into a man’s body, its sexual attraction, interest in the partner is lost, which entails Negative consequences. With frequent consumption of large doses of alcohol, especially low quality, it can have a direct toxic effect on the sex glands - the testes. Over time, complete impotence may occur, which can be very difficult to cure.
The effect of alcohol on the fetus
Exposure to alcoholic beverages is especially dangerous for the unborn child. Damaged male reproductive cells as a result of fertilization of the egg transmit part of the genetic apparatus damaged by the toxic effects of alcohol. During the formation of organs and systems of the unborn child, genetic defects and disturbances in the formation of tissues and organs may appear. The most sensitive in this regard is the brain. All this can lead to congenital defects development and deformities. As a result of drunken conception, the unborn child may experience the following disorders: decreased weight and decreased height at birth, underdevelopment of the brain, impaired mental and mental activity, anomalies in the development of individual organs and systems.
While still in the womb, the fetus may experience discomfort. In addition, very often the child’s nutrition is disrupted due to narrowing of blood vessels, in particular the umbilical cord. Special attention attention should be paid to the so-called alcohol syndrome in a child during birth, which is characterized by functional and morphological abnormalities in health.
To drink alcohol or not?
It is very difficult for the male body to completely give up alcohol. What to do in such a situation? The thing is that alcohol affects a man’s body not only negatively. With small amounts of it, there may be no changes in sexual function. According to experts, drinking a glass of wine a day has a positive effect on a man’s body. The problem is that not everyone likes wine. Men prefer vodka and beer. Today there are a lot of fakes (alcohol substitutes) on the alcoholic beverage market, the quality of which is very low. Drinking cheap alcohol is not recommended.
The effect of alcohol on conception - important aspect planning pregnancy and childbirth. There were a lot scientific research on this issue. Surveys of women were conducted, which revealed that most men who drank alcohol did not have any problems sexually, while abstainers had problems with potency. The fact is that such a positive effect is short-term and with systematic drinking of alcohol quickly passes.
The effects of alcohol on males, whether young or old, are almost always negative. Alcohol is a toxic compound. Its dose, which is relatively harmless to the human body, is 20-40 g. At higher concentrations it can cause damage. internal organs and cells, in particular gonads and sperm. It is they, along with brain cells, that are most susceptible to the effects of alcohol.
To avoid negative effects on sperm and the unborn fetus, planning is necessary. Both men and women should do this. If a man cannot comply with the prohibition law, then such drinks can only be consumed in small quantities.
The quality of the raw materials matters. If you follow all the listed rules, you can conduct a full-fledged sex life and not be afraid for your health and that of your unborn child.
Unfortunately, pregnancy planning promoted by doctors is not implemented very often. Therefore, there are often situations when, having learned about pregnancy, a woman remembers with horror that both she and her husband are in last weeks drank alcoholic beverages. Will alcohol consumed by his parents (or one of them) affect the baby?
Most experts in the field of hygiene and health education believe that of all the toxic substances that can impair the physical and mental development offspring, alcohol plays a leading role. The problem of “drunk conception” is considered extremely urgent and requires mandatory and unconditional resolution. But here, of course, we are talking about alcoholics. What if the parents allowed themselves only a couple of glasses of wine or a bottle of beer, but this happened precisely “around conception”? Does this really threaten the unborn child with the terrible consequences that alcohol can cause?
"Drunk conception" and its consequences
In the process of conception, which gives rise to a new life, the fusion of the paternal and maternal germ cells occurs. Scientists have long debated whether a man's intake of alcohol immediately before conception can affect the health of the unborn baby. Proponents of the theory that there is no connection between these facts are based on the fact that the process of sperm maturation lasts about 3 months, which means that “old” cells that are not spoiled by alcohol are involved in conception. However, recent studies by Canadian doctors have confirmed the opposite point of view. It has been found that alcohol has an almost immediate effect on the spermatic fluid, which maintains the viability of sperm. Normally, the sperm of healthy non-drinking men contains up to 25% of pathological sperm (indicators of a normal spermogram), but their chances of participating in conception are much lower than those of healthy germ cells. However, after drinking alcohol, the chances of healthy and pathological cells are almost equal! The result of this can be disastrous: the egg is fertilized by a defective sperm, and the child is born with various abnormalities caused by genetic defects. Recent studies have shown that the alcohol content in semen corresponds to the alcohol content in the blood. And alcohol can cause disturbances in the chromosomal composition of sperm.
The maturation of the egg in a woman’s body occurs every month; this process can be influenced by various factors, including alcohol. However, deformities do not occur during the preimplantation period; in other words, alcohol drunk by a mother during the period from the beginning of her last menstruation to conception is unlikely to harm her unborn child. But alcohol drunk by a man 2-3 months before conception and especially on the day of conception has a detrimental effect on the physical and mental health of his offspring, since It is this period that is necessary for the maturation of sperm.
But after this short period, the embryo becomes extremely sensitive to all harmful factors, which can lead to both its death and the occurrence of severe deformities and diseases if the fetus remains alive. In the first two weeks after conception, nature acts on the “all or nothing” principle.. Only a healthy embryo develops at this time. If cells are damaged by alcohol, strong drugs, nicotine or infection, they stop dividing. Then a very early miscarriage occurs, in the form of delayed menstruation. If the embryo develops further, this is the most reliable indicator that you have not harmed it in any way. But from now on, the expectant mother celebrates only with soft drinks!
A pregnant woman, even with all her desire, cannot drink alone: the expectant mother will always be accompanied by an unborn child.
The widely held belief that alcohol can harm the fetus only when the umbilical cord and placenta have already formed is completely wrong! Ten to fourteen days after the fertilized egg passes through the oviduct into the uterus, it takes root in the uterus. At this stage there is still no connection through the umbilical cord between the blood circulation of the mother and the child. Despite this, maternal blood flows to the embryo, including through the yolk sac. If alcohol enters the mother's blood through the stomach and small intestine, it can reach the fetus and disrupt cell division.
There is also a misconception that a glass of wine is less harmful if the formation of the child’s organs has completed. Alcohol can harm a child at any time. But it is absolutely true that the first three months are a particularly dangerous phase. Since at this time the child’s organs begin to form and develop, the adverse effects of alcohol on cell division can especially easily lead to developmental defects. The brain is especially vulnerable: under the influence of alcohol, fewer brain cells are formed, which affects the size of the brain. In the fourth to sixth months of pregnancy, alcohol primarily interferes with the growth of the fetus. Moreover, the risk of miscarriage increases two to four times if a pregnant woman drinks more than 30 ml of alcohol twice a week. Between the seventh and ninth months, the baby experiences a new growth spurt. Since the brain is actively developing and growing, and connections are being formed between cells, the effects of alcohol are especially harmful during this period: it negatively affects both processes.
Both the alcohol itself (ethanol) and its breakdown products, such as acetaldehyde, have a damaging effect on the fetus. Ethanol leads to spasm of the blood vessels of the placenta and umbilical cord, impairing the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the fetus. Acetaldehyde has a detrimental effect on the cells of the embryo, leading to changes in the genetic material (DNA), which causes various deformities. Alcohol disrupts the exchange of vitamins and hormones in the tissues and organs of the fetus. The central nervous system is especially sensitive to it, which subsequently causes intellectual and behavioral disorders in the child. Alcohol consumption by a woman during pregnancy significantly increases the risk of miscarriage, low birth weight babies, and in the most severe cases contributes to the development of fetal alcohol syndrome. This syndrome is associated with intrauterine alcohol damage and is characterized by specific facial anomalies, retardation in physical and mental development, behavioral abnormalities, damage to the heart, genitourinary system and other organs. Unfortunately, the consequences of intrauterine damage to the fetus are irreversible and practically impossible to treat.
To drink or not to drink?
A reasonable question arises: does the severity of the harm caused to a child’s health depend on the amount of alcohol, the regularity of its use, or on something else? Of course, the amount and frequency of alcohol consumption play an important role in the nature of the consequences of alcohol exposure on the fetus. According to research, daily intake of 30 grams of alcohol or other alcoholic drinks by a pregnant woman in terms of alcohol (see table) is associated with a high risk of developing fetal alcohol syndrome in the child. But there is no single dose of alcohol that is safe for everyone! It was revealed that fetal alcohol syndrome also occurred in children whose mothers consumed only 3-5 g of alcohol daily. The harmfulness of alcohol to the fetus depends on the characteristics of the mother’s body in processing alcohol and reaction to alcohol, the state of the woman’s organs and systems at the time of pregnancy, the nature of the diet, associated bad habits, such as smoking, the genotype of the fetus (it depends on the germ cells involved in conception), pregnancy period and many other points.
Ethanol easily crosses the placental barrier, quickly enters the fetal blood, and as a result, a so-called teratogenic effect may occur, that is, the ability to cause congenital deformities.
Of course, there is no need to panic if you drink a glass of dry wine or half a can of beer once or twice during your pregnancy. However, if this has become part of your system, the risk of falling into one of the “critical periods”, when the fetus’s sensitivity to external factors is especially high, increases many times over. And such a whim can cost not only physical and mental health, but even the life of your child. The fact is obvious: it is unwise to expose the fetus to even minimal risk. Therefore, the recommendations of most doctors remain very categorical: drinking alcohol during pregnancy should be completely avoided!
It’s even better for future parents to stop drinking alcohol in the period preceding conception (at least 3 months before it).
Alcohol content of various alcoholic beverages
Women who drink one to two units of alcohol per day during the first three months of pregnancy appear to have twice the risk of miscarriage in the second trimester of pregnancy compared to non-drinkers. Often the causes of miscarriages in the early stages of pregnancy in this case are various genetic anomalies and developmental disorders, some of which may be a consequence of the effects of alcohol. Thus, no matter how blasphemous it sounds, according to the laws of nature, pathological genetic material is “rejected”. Summarizing the results of the conversation, we can draw the following conclusions:
- Alcohol consumption by the mother before conception and in the first week after it in most cases does not affect the health of the unborn child.
- After pregnancy (from the moment when the fertilized egg has implanted into the uterine mucosa), even a small amount of alcohol consumed by a woman can be fatal for her unborn child. The toxic dose of alcohol is individual in each case.
- <>Alcohol consumed by a man 2-3 months before conception and on the day of conception has a detrimental effect on the physical and especially mental health of his offspring.
As you know, the alcohol that we drink in the form of drinks is ethyl alcohol, or ethanol.
Everyone also knows that it is capable of causing a variety of changes in the human body. The manifestation and severity of these changes depend on the duration and intensity of the influence of alcohol on the body - the so-called alcoholization, and also, to a large extent, on the individual characteristics of the person. The complex of pathological manifestations that occur with prolonged excessive drinking of alcohol is called alcoholic disease. Its symptoms, alas, are well known, and I will not dwell on them.
However, the saddest thing is that alcohol can affect not only the health of the drinker, but also his offspring.
True, numerous studies have been unable to establish a direct connection between the father’s alcoholism and any pathological abnormalities in his child. However, the stronger sex should not be complacent, since alcoholism in men manifests itself, among other things, in sexual dysfunction in general: decreased libido, potency, and others.
But as for women, drinking alcohol during pregnancy is far from harmless. Ethanol easily overcomes the placental barrier, quickly enters the fetal blood, and as a result, a so-called teratogenic effect can occur, that is, the ability to cause congenital deformities (from the Greek teratos - monster).
There is such a thing as fetal alcohol syndrome, or fetal alcohol syndrome (the abbreviation FAS is used to name it - Foetal Alcohol Syndrome). Fetal alcohol syndrome is a condition caused by the teratogenic effect of ethanol on the developing fetus during critical periods of development, which results in:
- developmental anomalies of the maxillofacial region: hypoplasia (underdevelopment) of the zygomatic arch, lower jaw; shortened upper lip, bridge of the nose; narrow palpebral fissures;
- violation of physical development: disproportionate physique, small or, conversely, too high height and/or weight;
- low birth weight;
- pathology of the nervous system: microcephaly - underdevelopment of the brain or its individual parts, leading to some neurological and intellectual disorders; "spina bifida" - "open back", incomplete closure of the spinal canal;
- numerous anomalies of organ development, the most common malformations of the heart, external genitalia and joints.
Unfortunately, it is impossible to clearly define the threshold zones of alcoholization at which fetal alcohol syndrome develops. They are strictly individual and are associated with individual metabolic characteristics - the so-called pharmacogenetic profile of the body. Therefore, fetal alcohol syndrome may not manifest itself in a binge alcoholic, but may manifest itself in a woman who drinks alcohol quite moderately. Thus, it is impossible to establish safe doses of alcohol consumption during pregnancy without knowing the characteristics of the enzyme systems of the woman’s body.
A woman can afford 100-200 g of natural dry wine 2-3 times during pregnancy with virtually no risk. But not more.
It is also IMPORTANT to note that if a woman drank alcohol without knowing that she was pregnant, she should under no circumstances request a referral for an abortion, because fetal development pathology is mainly observed with chronic ethanol consumption. Therefore, in this case, you just need to lead a healthy lifestyle from the moment you become pregnant. The main thing is not to tempt fate.
Unfortunately, pregnancy planning promoted by doctors is not implemented very often. Therefore, there are often situations when, having learned about pregnancy, a woman remembers with horror that both she and her husband have been drinking alcohol in recent weeks. Will alcohol consumed by his parents (or one of them) affect the baby?
Most experts in the field of hygiene and health education believe that of all the toxic substances that can disrupt the physical and mental development of offspring, alcohol plays a leading role. The problem of “drunk conception” is considered extremely urgent and requires mandatory and unconditional resolution. But here, of course, we are talking about alcoholics. What if the parents allowed themselves only a couple of glasses of wine or a bottle of beer, but this happened precisely “around conception”? Does this really threaten the unborn child with the terrible consequences that alcohol can cause?
"Drunk conception" and its consequences
In the process of conception, which gives rise to a new life, the fusion of the paternal and maternal germ cells occurs. Scientists have long debated whether a man's intake of alcohol immediately before conception can affect the health of the unborn baby. Proponents of the theory that there is no connection between these facts are based on the fact that the process of sperm maturation lasts about 3 months, which means that “old” cells that are not spoiled by alcohol are involved in conception. However, recent studies by Canadian doctors have confirmed the opposite point of view. It has been found that alcohol has an almost immediate effect on the spermatic fluid, which maintains the viability of sperm. Normally, the sperm of healthy non-drinking men contains up to 25% of pathological sperm (indicators of a normal spermogram), but their chances of participating in conception are much lower than those of healthy germ cells. However, after drinking alcohol, the chances of healthy and pathological cells are almost equal! The result of this can be disastrous: the egg is fertilized by a defective sperm, and the child is born with various abnormalities caused by genetic defects. Recent studies have shown that the alcohol content in semen corresponds to the alcohol content in the blood. And alcohol can cause disturbances in the chromosomal composition of sperm.
The maturation of the egg in a woman’s body occurs every month; this process can be influenced by various factors, including alcohol. However, deformities do not occur during the preimplantation period; in other words, alcohol drunk by a mother during the period from the beginning of her last menstruation to conception is unlikely to harm her unborn child. But alcohol drunk by a man 2-3 months before conception and especially on the day of conception has a detrimental effect on the physical and mental health of his offspring, since It is this period that is necessary for the maturation of sperm.
But after this short period, the embryo becomes extremely sensitive to all harmful factors that can lead to both its death and the occurrence of severe deformities and diseases if the fetus remains alive. In the first two weeks after conception, nature acts on the “all or nothing” principle.. Only a healthy embryo develops at this time. If cells are damaged by alcohol, strong drugs, nicotine or infection, they stop dividing. Then a very early miscarriage occurs, in the form of delayed menstruation. If the embryo develops further, this is the most reliable indicator that you have not harmed it in any way. But from now on, the expectant mother celebrates only with soft drinks!
A pregnant woman, even with all her desire, cannot drink alone: the expectant mother will always be accompanied by an unborn child.
The widely held belief that alcohol can harm the fetus only when the umbilical cord and placenta have already formed is completely wrong! Ten to fourteen days after the fertilized egg passes through the oviduct into the uterus, it takes root in the uterus. At this stage there is still no connection through the umbilical cord between the blood circulation of the mother and the child. Despite this, maternal blood flows to the embryo, including through the yolk sac. If alcohol enters the mother's blood through the stomach and small intestine, it can reach the fetus and disrupt cell division.
There is also a misconception that a glass of wine is less harmful if the formation of the child’s organs has completed. Alcohol can harm a child at any time. But it is absolutely true that the first three months are a particularly dangerous phase. Since at this time the child’s organs begin to form and develop, the adverse effects of alcohol on cell division can especially easily lead to developmental defects. The brain is especially vulnerable: under the influence of alcohol, fewer brain cells are formed, which affects the size of the brain. In the fourth to sixth months of pregnancy, alcohol primarily interferes with the growth of the fetus. Moreover, the risk of miscarriage increases two to four times if a pregnant woman drinks more than 30 ml of alcohol twice a week. Between the seventh and ninth months, the baby experiences a new growth spurt. Since the brain is actively developing and growing, and connections are being formed between cells, the effects of alcohol are especially harmful during this period: it negatively affects both processes.
Both the alcohol itself (ethanol) and its breakdown products, such as acetaldehyde, have a damaging effect on the fetus. Ethanol leads to spasm of the blood vessels of the placenta and umbilical cord, impairing the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the fetus. Acetaldehyde has a detrimental effect on the cells of the embryo, leading to changes in the genetic material (DNA), which causes various deformities. Alcohol disrupts the exchange of vitamins and hormones in the tissues and organs of the fetus. The central nervous system is especially sensitive to it, which subsequently causes intellectual and behavioral disorders in the child. Alcohol consumption by a woman during pregnancy significantly increases the risk of miscarriage, low birth weight babies, and in the most severe cases contributes to the development of fetal alcohol syndrome. This syndrome is associated with intrauterine alcohol damage and is characterized by specific facial anomalies, retardation in physical and mental development, behavioral abnormalities, damage to the heart, genitourinary system and other organs. Unfortunately, the consequences of intrauterine damage to the fetus are irreversible and practically impossible to treat.
To drink or not to drink?
A reasonable question arises: does the severity of the harm caused to a child’s health depend on the amount of alcohol, the regularity of its use, or on something else? Of course, the amount and frequency of alcohol consumption play an important role in the nature of the consequences of alcohol exposure on the fetus. According to research, daily intake of 30 grams of alcohol or other alcoholic drinks by a pregnant woman in terms of alcohol (see table) is associated with a high risk of developing fetal alcohol syndrome in the child. But there is no single dose of alcohol that is safe for everyone! It was revealed that fetal alcohol syndrome also occurred in children whose mothers consumed only 3-5 g of alcohol daily. The harmfulness of alcohol to the fetus depends on the characteristics of the mother’s body in processing alcohol and reaction to alcohol, the state of the woman’s organs and systems at the time of pregnancy, the nature of the diet, associated bad habits, such as smoking, the genotype of the fetus (it depends on the germ cells involved in conception), pregnancy period and many other points.
Ethanol easily crosses the placental barrier, quickly enters the fetal blood, and as a result, a so-called teratogenic effect may occur, that is, the ability to cause congenital deformities.
Of course, there is no need to panic if you drink a glass of dry wine or half a can of beer once or twice during your pregnancy. However, if this has become part of your system, the risk of falling into one of the “critical periods”, when the fetus’s sensitivity to external factors is especially high, increases many times over. And such a whim can cost not only physical and mental health, but even the life of your child. The fact is obvious: it is unwise to expose the fetus to even minimal risk. Therefore, the recommendations of most doctors remain very categorical: drinking alcohol during pregnancy should be completely avoided!
It’s even better for future parents to stop drinking alcohol in the period preceding conception (at least 3 months before it).
(depending on the strength of the beer) Gin and tonic 100 7.1 Table wine 100 9.5 Fortified wine 100 15.3 Liqueur 100 21 Vodka, whiskey, rum, cognac 100 38-42
Women who drink one to two units of alcohol per day during the first three months of pregnancy appear to have twice the risk of miscarriage in the second trimester of pregnancy compared to non-drinkers. Often the causes of miscarriages in the early stages of pregnancy in this case are various genetic anomalies and developmental disorders, some of which may be a consequence of the effects of alcohol. Thus, no matter how blasphemous it sounds, according to the laws of nature, pathological genetic material is “rejected”. Summarizing the results of the conversation, we can draw the following conclusions:
- Alcohol consumption by the mother before conception and in the first week after it in most cases does not affect the health of the unborn child.
- After pregnancy (from the moment when the fertilized egg has implanted into the uterine mucosa), even a small amount of alcohol consumed by a woman can be fatal for her unborn child. The toxic dose of alcohol is individual in each case.
- <>Alcohol consumed by a man 2-3 months before conception and on the day of conception has a detrimental effect on the physical and especially mental health of his offspring.
Apparently, future parents should listen to the opinion of most experts, and if they are interested in pregnancy and the birth of a healthy child, at least 3 months before the planned conception, exclude the possibility of various harmful influences, including alcohol. Remember that we are talking about the health of children, which should not be risked.
As you know, the alcohol that we drink in the form of drinks is ethyl alcohol, or ethanol.
Everyone also knows that it is capable of causing a variety of changes in the human body. The manifestation and severity of these changes depend on the duration and intensity of the influence of alcohol on the body - the so-called alcoholization, and also, to a large extent, on the individual characteristics of the person. The complex of pathological manifestations that occur with prolonged excessive drinking of alcohol is called alcoholic disease. Its symptoms, alas, are well known, and I will not dwell on them.
However, the saddest thing is that alcohol can affect not only the health of the drinker, but also his offspring.
True, numerous studies have been unable to establish a direct connection between the father’s alcoholism and any pathological abnormalities in his child. However, the stronger sex should not be complacent, since alcoholism in men manifests itself, among other things, in sexual dysfunction in general: decreased libido, potency, and others.
But as for women, drinking alcohol during pregnancy is far from harmless. Ethanol easily overcomes the placental barrier, quickly enters the fetal blood, and as a result, a so-called teratogenic effect can occur, that is, the ability to cause congenital deformities (from the Greek teratos - monster).
There is such a thing as fetal alcohol syndrome, or fetal alcohol syndrome (the abbreviation FAS is used to name it - Foetal Alcohol Syndrome). Fetal alcohol syndrome is a condition caused by the teratogenic effect of ethanol on the developing fetus during critical periods of development, which results in:
- developmental anomalies of the maxillofacial region: hypoplasia (underdevelopment) of the zygomatic arch, lower jaw; shortened upper lip, bridge of the nose; narrow palpebral fissures;
- violation of physical development: disproportionate physique, small or, conversely, too high height and/or weight;
- low birth weight;
- pathology of the nervous system: microcephaly - underdevelopment of the brain or its individual parts, leading to some neurological and intellectual disorders; "spina bifida" - "open back", incomplete closure of the spinal canal;
- numerous anomalies of organ development, the most common malformations of the heart, external genitalia and joints.
How much alcohol can cause such tragic consequences?
Unfortunately, it is impossible to clearly define the threshold zones of alcoholization at which fetal alcohol syndrome develops. They are strictly individual and are associated with individual metabolic characteristics - the so-called pharmacogenetic profile of the body. Therefore, fetal alcohol syndrome may not manifest itself in a binge alcoholic, but may manifest itself in a woman who drinks alcohol quite moderately. Thus, it is impossible to establish safe doses of alcohol consumption during pregnancy without knowing the characteristics of the enzyme systems of the woman’s body.
A woman can afford 100-200 g of natural dry wine 2-3 times during pregnancy with virtually no risk. But not more.
It is also IMPORTANT to note that if a woman drank alcohol without knowing that she was pregnant, she should under no circumstances request a referral for an abortion, because fetal development pathology is mainly observed with chronic ethanol consumption. Therefore, in this case, you just need to lead a healthy lifestyle from the moment you become pregnant. The main thing is not to tempt fate.
