Information for the publicAlcohol-related damage to a foetus can result in physical deformities and organic brain damage. Because there is no established "safe drinking level" for pregnant women, the advice for pregnant women, and those thinking about becoming pregnant, is to abstain from alcohol. |
IntroductionNo mother deliberately sets out to harm her baby. But the risk to the foetus is hard to predict, and because there is no established "safe drinking level" for pregnant women, the advice for pregnant women, and those thinking about becoming pregnant, is to abstain from alcohol. However, for a woman who has consumed alcohol before she realised she was pregnant, the risk to the foetus is still low if she immediately stops drinking. What are the risks?When alcohol is consumed, it quickly reaches the foetus. The placenta does not provide a barrier against alcohol. Alcohol is a teratogen, meaning that it is a substance that can damage the foetus, especially the brain, heart, and limbs. This damage to the foetus can take place at any stage of pregnancy. The degree of damage depends on several factors:
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