Thursday, February 14, 2013

Effect of Alcohol on Fetus

Thousands of research papers have been published to highlight the hazardous effects of alcohol on the fetus in the womb of drinking mothers. It has been estimated that 60-70% of pregnancies of mothers having 5 to 6 drinks a day may have an abnormal outcome. Even moderate levels of drinking during pregnancy would be detrimental to the fetus. Excessive drinking during pregnancy may lead to fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). The fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) includes failure of growth before and after birth, various physical defects and neuro-developmental disorders. The FAS has an incidence of around one percent in live births from such women. The healthcare of alcohol damaged children (ADC) would need extra spending by individuals as well as by governments. Psychiatrists recommend total abstinence from alcohol during pregnancy.

The alcohol abuse and drink trade are subjects of the interest of governments worldwide. Majority of the governments are interested in the wealth than health. The average consumption of alcohol has doubled during the last decade in many developing countries. You would find increased number of outlets of liquor in your area. The alcohol seems to be an ever-expanding scourge, taking a heavy toll of health and wealth due to lack of social alcohol discipline. The drinking habits of female population need to be reliably surveyed to ascertain the damage caused to their infants.

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