Most know that heavy drinking while pregnant can cause a host of issues for a fetus. But did you know that even low levels of alcohol in the first trimester of pregnancy can cause problems? A new study reveals that low levels of drinking may cause women to be at increased risk of having a premature or small baby.
When pregnant women drink alcohol, it crosses the placenta and results in nearly equal concentrations in both the fetus and the mother, according to Medical News Today. Yet while the effects of heavy drinking during pregnancy are well-known, there's been little research done on the effects of light drinking. In fact, different studies have different results; some say that light drinking has not effect, while others state that any drinking is bad for the fetus.
This particular study, though, found that any drinking might have a negative impact. The researchers examined 1,200 women in Leeds who filled out food frequency questionnaires. In the end, the researchers found that women who drank alcohol during their first trimester were much more likely to have a premature or small baby.
"The findings suggest that even small amounts of alcohol in the first three months of pregnancy may increase the risk of a small impairment to the baby's growth and possibly premature birth," said Patrick O'Brien, spokesman for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (RCOG), in an interview with The Telegraph. "This is consistent with the RCOG advice that if a woman falls pregnant she should abstain from alcohol during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy because this is a particularly sensitive time for the baby's development."
The findings reveal how a woman's diet doesn't just impact her; it also impacts her baby. It's important to take alcohol consumption into account--no matter what stage of pregnancy a woman is in.
