Effect Of Alcohol During Pregnancy

It is very usual for a woman to have anxiety during their first pregnancy. In this case, Claudia had never expected to get pregnant because she was even old.  She has enjoyed two glasses of wine each night for her first trimester because she had read some articles of well-known obstetricians who argued that having wine when one is pregnant helps control normal blood pressure and decrease anxiety levels. However, Claudia needs to understand that drinking wine risks the death of a fetus, challenges the normal development of the pregnancy, and the child’s overall development, in addition, to the challenges posed on the pregnancy by her age.

Firstly, drinking any amount of alcohol risks the health of the fetus. Alcohol is a teratogen – agent that can potentially affect the development of a fetus (Santrock, 2017). Furthermore, the alcohol may mix with blood and flow to the placenta affects its normal functioning. Claudia should know that alcohol-related health issues are well illustrated by (FASD) fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (Nwadike, 2019). Most babies with (FASD) are likely to have problems with learning, behavior, focus, attention, body coordination, and understanding consequences (Nwadike, 2019). Also, fetal alcohol syndrome may cause particular problems to the baby, such as vision problems, smaller head size, lower than average height, and lower than average weight.

             Secondly, the amount of alcohol may affect the normal development of Claudia’s pregnancy. As mentioned above, alcohol is a teratogen, affecting a pregnant woman by causing severe health issues during the birthing process (Santrock, 2017). Other risks posed by alcohol on Claudia’s pregnancy include premature birth, miscarriage, and low birth weight (Nwadike, 2019). Besides, taking the red wine while breastfeeding the baby can cause milk production and ejection problems. These issues culminate in affecting the overall health of the mother and the infant’s development after birth.

Thirdly, drinking red wine may affect later childhood development. The child may be at higher risk of depression, aggression, hyperactivity disorder, inappropriate social conduct, early death, and inappropriate sexual behaviors (Nwadike, 2019). These risks arise from observing that alcohol drinking during pregnancy affects a child’s brain development. The child may portray a slow growth rate which is as a result of drinking red wine. Also, a study has should that children raised by parents who drink alcohol tend to become alcoholics and victims of generally dysfunctional families (Lander et al., 2013). Hence, the wine will affect Claudia’s child in the future.

            Claudia is at the risk of several issues affecting women as they approach menopause in her age. In forty-plus years, individuals are at very high risk of pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia, blood pressure issues, and diabetes (Villines, 2020). Also, at forty, there is a high chance of a child who has down syndrome (Villines, 2020). The child might also suffer from problems such as a low Apgar score and low birth weight. Older age is also associated with pregnancy loss, especially when the woman had suffered from miscarriage earlier.

            First-time pregnancy experiences some physical change in the later weeks. This physical change may include a tender, swollen breast, likely to bring discomfort until the body adjusts to hormonal change. Other physical changes may include nausea with or without vomiting, increased urination, fatigue, heartburn, and constipation. Women should take good care of their health during pregnancy. Drinking red wine or any alcoholic substance is encouraged because it risks the baby’s life. Therefore, it is every woman’s responsibility to follow the instructions on how to have a healthy pregnancy as provided by the health care practitioners.

References

Nwadike, V. (2019). Red Wine During Pregnancy: Does New Research Suggest It is Safe?. Healthline. Retrieved 30 October 2021, from https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/red-wine-during-pregnancy#new-research. Villines, Z. (2020). Having a baby at 40: Benefits and risks. Medicalnewstoday.com. Retrieved 30 October 2021, from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/having-a-baby-at-40#during-pregnancy.