NO amount of alcohol is safe during pregnancy – with heavy drinking linked to foetal alcohol syndrome
Babies exposed to a lot of alcohol in pregnancy are at risk of brain damage, ADHD, epilepsy and cerebral palsy
There has long been debate about how much alcohol a woman can afford to drink while she's pregnant.
The UK's chief medical officer recommends the safest approach for expectant mums is to avoid booze altogether, throughout their pregnancy.
In reality, many mothers let themselves have the odd tipple, a small glass of wine or half pint here and there - more often than not, during the latter stages of pregnancy.
But, why is alcohol so dangerous to your unborn child? And what effects can drinking have?
Experts are clear, the more booze an expectant mum drinks the greater the risks to her baby.
Those risks include learning difficulties and behavioural problems.
Related Stories
But, in cases where a woman drinks heavily during pregnancy, doctors warn there is a high chance their baby will develop a serious condition, known as foetal alcohol syndrome (FAS).
September 9, marks Foetal Alcohol Syndrome Awareness Day, and to mark it, we reveal more about the potentially life-changing condition.
HOW DOES ALCOHOL EVEN REACH MY BABY?
As an unborn baby grows and develops in the womb, it gets nourishment from its mum's bloodstream.
When an expectant mother drinks alcohol, the booze can easily pass to their baby, via the placenta, and enter the baby's bloodstream.
A baby's liver is one of the last organs to develop, and doesn't mature until later in pregnancy.
An unborn baby's liver is therefore, nowhere near as well equipped to process alcohol as well as their mother's liver can.
WHAT DOES ALCOHOL DO TO YOUR UNBORN BABY?
The NHS warns exposure to booze in the womb affects the baby's development, in particular how the brain and spinal cord matures.
It attacks vital cells in the baby's body, that help a foetus grow.
And alcohol can damage the nerves that carry signals around the brain.
As a result a baby exposed to booze before they are born, is more likely to suffer poor growth, smaller body size and a delay in development.
The NHS says: "Alcohol is potentially most harmful for the baby in the first three months of pregnancy."
In the early stages of pregnancy alcohol raises the risk of miscarriage, and birth abnormalities.
But the guidelines warn: "Alcohol can harm a baby at any stage of pregnancy."
WHAT IS FOETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME?
says the condition varies from child to child.
It is a series of "preventable birth defects caused entirely by a woman drinking alcohol at any time during her pregnancy".
The trust warns it can cause:
- heart defects
- liver problems
- ADHD
- vision impairment
- sleep problems
- a poor immune system
- behavioural problems
- speech and language delays
And the NHS adds a number of other conditions, to the list:
- cerebral palsy - a condition affecting parts of the brain responsible for controlling muscles
- learning disorders
- epilepsy
HOW IS FOETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME DIAGNOSED?
Babies exposed to booze in the womb are often born with telltale signs.
Doctors' suspicions will often be aroused by distinctive facial features, babies are often born with small eyes set far apart or a thin upper lip.
But, a formal diagnosis cannot be made until a child is older and begins to display signs of delayed development.
In severe cases a baby will have suffered brain damage.
WHAT TREATMENT IS AVAILABLE?
The NHS warns there is no specific treatment available for kids diagnosed with foetal alcohol syndrome.
Brain damage caused is "irreversible", though early diagnosis does mean a child can be given the right support as they grow up.
If you're pregnant and are struggling to stop drinking, the NHS recommends speaking to your midwife, GP or pharmacist for advice and support.