First Four Weeks of Pregnancy and Alcohol

Contents:

• The Effect Alcohol May Have on a Future Baby During the First 4 Weeks of Pregnancy
• Is it Harmful or Useful?
• Who is Right?
• Alcohol During the First Trimester of Pregnancy
• How is Alcohol Dangerous for a Fetus?
• A Glass of Beer During Pregnancy or Beer Addiction
• What do Doctors Recommend in this Case?

The Effect Alcohol May Have on a Future Baby During the First 4 Weeks of Pregnancy

It’s quite hard to say if a moderate dose of alcohol will have a bad influence on a future baby or not. It is most likely for it to have absolutely no effect on the development of fetus. The thing is that during the first 24 days, no important changes and development processes occur.

At the same time, it should be pointed out that, during these first weeks of pregnancy, a fertilized ovum is very vulnerable and any negative external factor (alcohol, nicotine etc.) may do irreparable harm to it. To sum it up, if you drink some alcohol, it will either have no influence on the fetus or will kill it. You shouldn’t worry and think of how much toxic substances you took previously. It is important to keep our baby safe from any of these negative external factors in future.

Is it Harmful or Useful?

There are many opinions concerning the influence of alcohol you drink during pregnancy, to be more exact, during the first weeks of pregnancy. Some people say that red wine is useful. Others are against any alcohol during pregnancy. They are certain that alcohol influences fetus negatively.

Who is Right?

• Scientists have proved the fact that the amount of alcohol you drink gets through the placenta. In other words, a baby is drinking together with his/her mother;
• During pregnancy, there is no such notion as “a safe dose of alcohol” due to the fact that every organism has its own peculiarities;
• It doesn’t matter how strong the alcohol you choose to drink is. Any kind of alcohol is harmful;
• Drinking alcohol during pregnancy is dangerous and there is no such notion as “a moderate dose”.
• Fetus is in danger no matter what drink his/her mother chooses.

Alcohol During the First Trimester of Pregnancy

The first trimester of pregnancy is considered to be the most dangerous period in the development of fetus. A special attention should be paid to the 8th week since it is the time when all the main systems and organs of a baby are being formed. Any drop of alcohol may crucial and cause pathologies in the normal development of your baby. That’s why there is no such notion as “a safe dose of alcohol” during pregnancy.

How is Alcohol Dangerous for a Fetus?

• alcohol drinks contain many toxic substances that have a negative effect on psychological and physical development of a fetus;
• alcohol is peculiar in a way that it almost immediately absorbed in blood. Placenta, as well, absorbs it. Even though placenta protects your baby, it can’t fight against alcohol;
• it is not only ethyl alcohol that does irreparable harm to fetus. Alcohol-derived products (acetaldehyde) are also harmful. They damage the nervous system of a fetus and all the cells of its organism;
• drinks that contain alcohol also have a negative effect on the development of a baby’s metabolic processes.

During pregnancy, you should remember that the main processes concerning the formation of a baby’s organism occur during the period from the 3rd to the 13th week. During this period, it’s recommended to refuse drinking or taking anything that may be dangerous for a baby (alcohol included). This way you’ll keep your baby as safe from the negative external factors as possible. Starting from the 14th week, the process of the organs’ improvement begins. Of course, it’s very unlikely that alcohol will have an influence on the development of organs. However, alcohol may easily disturb their functioning.

A Glass of Beer During Pregnancy or Beer Addiction

Sometimes, it so happens that a pregnant woman wants to have an alcoholic drink. Very often, she has a desire to drink some beer. Even if a woman couldn’t bear this drink before, during pregnancy, everything may radically change. During this period, a woman may become one of those who likes beer a lot. This should come as no surprise. The thing is that a woman’s organism during pregnancy changes radically. Taste receptors are also a subject to be changed. Since a pregnant woman lacks some substances, from time to time, she may wish to have something that is unusual for her. Beer is also included in the list of such like unusual wishes.

What do Doctors Recommend in this Case?

• You shouldn’t forget that every dose of alcohol you drink, you share with your future baby.
• If a woman wants to have several sips of beer and there is no way to fight against this desire, it’s fine. Such a dose of beer is not crucial.
• You need to take into account the fact that once the beer you’ve drunk gets through the placenta, it may result in the oxygen starvation on the part of your baby.
• Non-alcoholic beer is as harmful as the one that contains alcohol.

Before you actually drink some alcohol, think your decision over once again. Ask yourself if it’s really worth it?