Yes, Even 'Just a Little Alcohol' is Dangerous During Pregnancy

Pregnant women are often advised to abstain from alcohol. However, in recent years, there has been an emerging trend suggesting that only excessive drinking poses a severe risk to the fetus, and that an occasional glass of wine does not make a difference. A new study from the University of Birmingham finds this is simply not true: even light alcohol consumption endangers the pregnancy and may leave the fetus with lifelong damages.

The researchers noted that since all previous studies on the harm of alcohol during pregnancy focused on women who drank excessively, they made sure this time to examine cases where alcohol exposure was moderate. Of course, there is no scientific ethics that permits experiments on pregnant women, and therefore this study was conducted on pregnant mice, like most research about pregnancy risks. During the study, the pregnant mice were exposed to alcohol vapors only once during their pregnancy, for about six hours.

When the mice gave birth, the research team closely monitored the offspring and conducted 'anxiety tests' several times. It soon became apparent that those exposed to alcohol in the womb suffered from increased anxiety, especially during their adolescence. The effect was particularly notable in male mice.

"There is much media coverage questioning whether there is a safe amount of alcohol to consume during pregnancy", says Marvin Dyke, the psychology professor who led the study. "Our research shows there is no such thing".

Alcohol consumption during pregnancy has long been known to be particularly dangerous. Alcohol causes a long list of psychological and cognitive defects in babies, and children suffering from 'fetal alcohol syndrome' may face lifelong behavioral challenges, attention and concentration issues, intellectual disabilities, and even severe psychiatric disorders. After decades where it was barely recognized in Israel, local doctors now report encountering more and more such babies and children, part of an increasing local trend of alcohol consumption.

The IMA Department for Preventing Abortions at Hidabroot has saved many Jewish babies from loss, helping pregnant women overcome difficulties and save their children's lives. It is advisable to support and donate to their valuable mission. For details and assistance, call: 073-2221333

The IMA Department on the Hidabroot site - Help for pregnant women, click here.