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??? Would you give a newborn a glass of wine? ???
All your questions about alcohol in pregnancy answered…
The question of whether it is ok to drink alcohol during pregnancy has been heavily debated for decades, so it can be difficult for expectant mothers to understand the risk of drinking during those precious months.
What do the Australian guidelines say?
Australia’s major health body – The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), firmly states that there is no safe level of alcohol to consume while pregnant,2 and this is the agreed stance across health agencies. Women who become pregnant or are planning for pregnancy should avoid alcohol all together as it can cause serious harm to the fetus as it is developing. As the chair of Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Task Force, Dr David Garry puts it:
“If you wouldn’t give a 2 month old a glass of wine, then why would you drink a glass of wine when you’re pregnant?” 3
Does a glass or two a week really do any damage? The answer is uncertain, and this is the problem – although there is overwhelming evidence that heavy drinking can cause birth abnormalities, the effects of light/moderate drinking is unclear, therefore cannot be declared as safe.4,5 Some studies including one by U.K National Institute for Health and Care Excellence reported that there was no evidence of risk when mothers consumed 1-2 drinks a week or on occasion throughout their pregnancy after following their children up until 5 years of age6. Despite these claims, the lack of accurate and long-term research means we still do not know if there is a safe threshold amount of alcohol to drink while expecting hence why the guidelines specify to avoid it entirely.
Why is alcohol harmful to babies?
Alcohol contains ethanol, the chemical compound that causes the sometimes enjoyable and other times terrible effects we all associate with alcohol. Alcohol is a Teratogen, a toxic substance that can lead to structural abnormalities or miscarriage in the fetus. Once alcohol crosses the placenta it can impact the constantly developing brain cells particularly the glial cells, whose job it is to nourish and protect the all-important neurons of the brain which are responsible for sending messages within the brain and body. Impaired brain development can cause significant damage to the growing baby.
When a pregnant mother has a glass of wine, the alcohol crosses the placenta (seen in figure 3) which is the organ of exchange shared by the mother and the fetus that provides the much-needed nutrients needed for development. The amount of alcohol is shared in almost equal amounts between the mother and the fetus3, meaning your unborn baby receives just as much as wine as your fully developed adult body does.
FACT SHEET: FETAL ALCOHOL SPECTRUM DISORDERS
FASD is a spectrum of conditions diagnosed by physical and behavioural abnormalities associated with high alcohol intake during pregnancy.
The effects of these conditions can range from mild to extremely severe and include:3,5
- Developmental delays and cardiac issues
- Characteristic facial defects including small head size and eye openings, wide set eyes and a thin upper lip (as seen in figure 4)
- IQ below 70, learning difficulties particularly language and speech development
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is diagnosed when the impairment is at the most severe level and the baby suffers very serious levels of abnormalities.
But before you panic it is important to remember that FAS is rare in mothers that consume less that 5 drinks per day. And is seen in 30% of children born to alcoholic mothers. 9
Alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder (ARND)
This is a far more common condition that involves the range of developmental issues associated with FAS but without the characteristic facial deformities. ARND can result from far lower levels drinking, so it is important to refrain from even small amounts of alcohol to avoid putting your unborn child at any possible risk.8
Take home message:
- FASD, ARND and any complications they could cause an unborn child are 100% preventable
- Anything an expectant mother consumes is shared with the baby through the placenta
- There is no safe limit of alcohol to consume during pregnancy so abstaining is the safest option
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Hi Kiahla,
I think your opening heading is probably the most attention grabbing blog so far and one I feel would appeal to the general audience on social media . The questions you have used for your subheadings are perfect in maintaining the readers attention. It is both concise and straight to the point. The use of the analogy “If you wouldn’t give a 2 month old a glass of wine, then why would you drink a glass of wine when you’re pregnant?” is great in echoing the question raised by your heading. The take home message is a great inclusion. Overall this is one of the better blogs I have seen so far.
Really interesting blog. I really enjoyed the questions as subheading as it caught your attention and made you want to keep reading. The layout is great also but the images (figure 3 and 4) aren’t as clear as they could be so maybe you could try and include different images. The information is clear and concise so well done!
Hi Kiahla, excellent well thought out title. Writing style is great with conversational tone. Great headings along with few rhetorical questions, it makes the reader curious about the information. “take home message” is a great addition to the blog. well done.
Especially loving the take home message, it really drills in the message that you shouldn’t drink while pregnant. The information is really easy to follow due to your use of subheadings. It is well written and well thought out. Great job.
Hi Kiahla
Your blog is very well written in an engaging and easy to read format while still retaining the necessary info. I would maybe include a caption for the images. It also seems like some of the images have a low resolution making them difficult to see. Overall really good blog!
Hi Kiahla,
I think you have definitely nailed the blog format and language! Super easy to read and I like how you have highlighted important facts and quotes! The take-home message at the end is also a really good idea. The only thing I can think of that you might of missed is the “critical period of organogenesis” where the probability of a structural defect is at its highest.
Great work with the blog, really captures the audiences attention. The facts are intriguing and relevant, as well as the content. Really enjoyed the Q&A style of your blog, you have recognised your audience and adjusted your blog accordingly. Good Job!
Love the title as it really made me want to read your blog! I think there is a little bit too much going on in terms of layout. It’s just a lot to take in and you don’t really know where to look. The content and your writing is very good and easy to understand.
Instantly drawn to your blog because of the title! Loved how you made your blog easy to follow as you used subtitles and loved the addition of the ‘take home message’. Some of the images however were not clear and could be incorporated more into the text. Well done!!
Hello Kiahla,
Firstly, I like your title, it’s catchy. I also like your subtitles and the ‘take-home message’ part.
For the fact that you had, “60% OF EXPECTANT MOTHERS IN…”, I think you should place it in a box (for a better presentation). Also, I think you need to include an explanatory sentence underneath each figure. I think your blog is really engaging and not boring, but maybe try to work more on the layout and presentation in general.