Alcohol in the early stages of pregnancy, even before the delay, usually does not bring serious consequences, because a fertilized egg has not yet fixed in the uterus, and does not have a clear connection with the mother’s body.
The guarantees in this case are not 100%, but the reasons for unrest in this case are minimal. If a woman is really worried about the unborn child, drinking in any quantity and form should be immediately stopped with the first suspicions of an “interesting situation”.
Regardless of the frequency and frequency of drinking alcohol before conception, after learning about your pregnancy, the first reaction of a woman usually becomes anxiety for the health of the unborn child. If you do not take cases of clinical alcoholism, often the pregnant woman is worried about the possible harm to the baby, even if the dose of alcohol was minimal.
Alcohol during early pregnancy
Often, alcohol is not taken specifically in the first weeks of pregnancy, because a woman may not yet know about future motherhood. Especially often this happens if the pregnancy was unplanned.
A great risk for future offspring arises if the conception occurred in a drunken stupor and both participants drank enough alcohol.
The negative effect of alcohol-containing substances on male and female germ cells has not yet been fully studied, but it is already known that for the best possible result and to keep the genetic material intact, at least two weeks must pass after the last alcohol intake. Thus, conscious parents should abandon such provoking factors already at the planning stage of the unborn child. Such restrictions will not be excessive in any case, and the chances of having and having a baby healthy will only increase.
Often drinking alcohol and smoking during pregnancy causes persistent rejection. Thus, the body protects itself on its own, not allowing harmful substances to harm the child. In the case of deliberate abuse of these habits, the consequences can be the most unpleasant and tragic.
The effect of alcohol on the fetus during pregnancy
- The risk of miscarriage and premature birth increases dramatically.
- The development of alkaloid syndrome, when the child is already born an alcoholic.
- Anomalies of the facial structure, internal organs and gender.
- Deviations of the mental system, retardation of physical growth and normal development.
- Defects of the cardiovascular system.
- Brain pathologies: epilepsy and severe nervous disorders.
All these factors are just the tip of the iceberg. No doctor can accurately predict the likely effects of drinking on your child. Cases of congenital anomalies and terrible malformations are known.
Most people with disabilities were conceived and born of alcoholics, and it doesn’t matter if they used alcohol regularly or occasionally.
No one is safe from this terrible diagnosis. Poor ecology, stresses and harmful environmental effects in themselves bring a great risk to the normal development of the future baby, so it’s not necessary to aggravate the situation on one’s own, sometimes missing a shot glass “for therapeutic purposes”.
Most women are well aware of the dangers of alcohol in the early stages of pregnancy, but naively consider irregular use insures them from possible consequences. This is not entirely true, because the body of each is individual and the effect of any factor can be determined only on the basis of statistical data, and not subjective observation.
In any case, it is urgent to stop any harmful contacts with the outside world, whether it is smoking, alcohol or air pollution in the workplace.
If the influence of alcohol has already gone far enough and you cannot cope with the problem yourself, do not lock yourself and reproach yourself. Alcoholism is not a stigma, but a special disease, which can be defeated at almost any stage. Awareness and acceptance of the problem is already half the success in this struggle, so you should not go in cycles and look for an excuse in your own weak willpower and inappropriate environment.
Now there are many ways to effectively and permanently get rid of alcohol addiction. Special centers and groups created to help solve this problem exist in almost every city, and to find out the address and phone number is, as they say, a matter of technology. Alcohol during pregnancy destroys two organisms already, therefore it is necessary to stop and minimize the negative impact in time as soon as possible!
The consequences of smoking during pregnancy
Most smokers in one way or another often hear arguments against their addiction and have already managed to develop a kind of immunity to such statements. It will not be too productive to frighten and cite statistics, so in our article we chose a different way.
How smoking affects the fetus during pregnancy
A woman who smokes makes her choice more or less consciously, but for a child without leaving him at all. The opinion of doctors about smoking during pregnancy is clearly negative, but only a personal situation can convince most skeptics. Now imagine that a child cannot influence his environment in any way, and the only choice you leave him is shockingly simple: he will adapt to stinky smoke or just die. So, the vast majority of embryos choose exactly the second path…
Miscarriages in the early stages, the birth of premature babies and the syndrome of sudden death of newborns – all these cases, one way or another, are connected precisely with the inability of the fetus to receive the main thing for its development – a sufficient amount of oxygen.
Smoking in the first weeks of pregnancy is as dangerous as a systemic habit, so giving up it immediately and forever, and not making promises to do it next Monday, will be a priority.
At the same time, there are particularly pragmatic statistics: if smoking directly threatens the life of the smoker himself and the bill goes for months of extra life, about 80% of avid and “not re-educated” quit smoking for about a week. It’s a shame, isn’t it? Choosing poison to our taste, we don’t even think about what we doom ourselves. Smoking during pregnancy is incompatible with the image of an exemplary mother, who the majority tries on undeservedly. One can talk endlessly about love for children and about the dearest thing in life, the main thing is that the words are supported by actions.
What consequences for the fetus can cause smoking
The consequences of smoking during pregnancy are 100% impossible to predict, all indicators are strictly individual, but some facts and medical observations have revealed a persistent tendency to the development of the following conditions and diseases.
The effect of smoking on the fetus during pregnancy:
- Systematic oxygen starvation and fetal asphyxiation.
- The risk of having a baby prematurely and with low weight.
- Intrauterine growth retardation.
- Violation of the development of joints and limbs.
- Diseases of the pulmonary system.
- Predisposition to bronchial asthma.
- The risk of premature aging and detachment of the placenta, which can lead to fetal death and a threat to the life of the mother.
- Birth defects.
- Smoking in early pregnancy can lead to improper formation of the cardiovascular system.
A healthy pregnancy is a happy expectation of a baby’s birth, periods of hope and excitement, and not a reason to drag out the last, of course, with the last cigarette (who would doubt it).
The effect of smoking on pregnancy is constantly reinforced by new disappointing facts, so the best choice for a sane person is precisely the rejection of this harmful and deadly habit.
If you look at the problem on the other hand, planning a long-awaited baby is an absolute reason to change your life without waiting for the notorious Monday. Such changes will benefit everyone, especially since there will be many other discoveries and accomplishments ahead.
Individual preparation of parents before conception
It is regrettable to note, but most future parents begin to really take care of their baby at best during pregnancy, and sometimes only after birth. Ideally, pre-training should begin at least three months before conception. It is during this period that it is advisable to start the regular intake of multivitamins, review the daily regimen and get rid of bad habits. How smoking affects pregnancy, we have already examined, we studied the negative effects of alcohol, it’s time to try to give the child the most valuable inheritance – health.
These recommendations apply not only to the expectant mother, but also to the potential father of the family. It is especially important to “throw” together if spending time together often involves drinking drinks together or in a company. Thus, it is possible to pre-create a normal environment for the birth and upbringing of children, as well as protect the couple from temptations that will soon be banned.
What must be done before the alleged conception:
- Stop smoking and drink regularly at least three months in advance. Light “breakdowns” are also considered, so be honest at least in front of yourself. Periodic smoking during pregnancy is also unacceptable, so you should quit this habit in advance.
- Undergo a physical examination and treat inflammatory processes and chronic diseases. An exacerbation of certain diseases during pregnancy is fraught with medical intervention and taking medications, the effect of which on the child will also be extremely negative.
- It is also advisable for the child’s father to be fully armed. Most chronic urogenital and endocrine diseases can interfere with conception. Timely treatment of such conditions will help to avoid painful expectations and nervous tension, as well as significantly improve the quality of life.
- Particular attention should be paid to dental examination, to cure carious teeth and gum inflammation. These are the main factors of intrauterine bacterial infection of the fetus.
- Moderate exercise can help you feel better. Additionally, for women, this will be a good workout before giving birth, and for men, it will increase sperm viability.
- Losing excess weight will increase your chances of a successful conception and a normal pregnancy. This factor will have an important impact on labor.
- Proper nutrition and a reasonable daily routine will positively affect your overall well-being. For women’s health and increase the ability to conceive, it is advisable to use a special vitamin – folic acid. It is sold separately and is included in most “female” vitamin complexes.
Pregnancy is an extremely important and crucial period in the life of every woman. To conduct it as beneficial as possible for the health of the unborn child is a direct task and predetermination.
You can appeal to relevant studies and simply to the popular “randomness” as much as you like, but the truth remains unchanged: alcohol and nicotine are slow-acting destructive factors that cause permanent dependence and adversely affect absolutely all organs.
It is known to everyone how alcohol affects pregnancy, protecting the unborn child from this harm and giving it all possible health and nutrition is a priority in any period of its development, so you should not change the full life of your child for momentary pleasure (and very doubtful). The consequences of smoking and drinking alcohol during pregnancy are very difficult to predict, but this obviously will not bring anything good.
