Content DSM–5 Diagnosis What to avoid during pregnancy Think fast: How does your face protect you? A Guide to Women’s Health: Fifty and forward An individual with FAS may have noticeable changes to their face and limbs, as well as delays in the way their body develops over time. There can also be mental and emotional challenges throughout the person’s life that can impact their social life, education and work. This condition can be prevented if you don’t drink any alcohol during pregnancy. It’s possible that even small amounts of alcohol consumed during pregnancy can damage your developing fetus. The significance of alcohol to women’s identity appeared to be an important reason for continued alcohol use during pregnancy among otherwise risk averse women. The women in this study were pregnant at the cusp of a change to guidelines from guidelines recommending low alcohol consumption to guidelines recommending abstinence. Alcohol is broken down more slowly in the baby’s developing body than it is in an adult’s body. Two studies from 2021 support the idea that alcohol consumption during pregnancy isn’t a good idea – both for the overall outcome of the pregnancy and for fetal neurodevelopment. A person should avoid anything that contains phthalates, which may cause developmental problems in a fetus. These are chemicals commonly found in plastic but also in many skin care products. A pregnant person should try to avoid contact with plastic packaging or containers, as alcohol during pregnancy well as any fragranced cosmetics, which are likely to contain a higher amount. “If a pregnant woman with low levels of this enzyme drinks, her baby may be more susceptible to harm because the alcohol may circulate in her body for a longer period of time,” Garry tells WebMD. DSM–5 Diagnosis Women have been told not to drink during pregnancy for decades; last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) extended that advice to all women who were at risk for experiencing a pregnancy. This commentary puts the recent CDC guidelines in historical perspective and considers the unintended consequences of public health messages that extend beyond what is supported by evidence. The CDC reports that there was no change in the number of pregnant patients who report drinking from 2019 (pre-pandemic) to 2020 (the first year of pandemic). In both years, approximately 14-15% of pregnant women reported consuming alcohol and 6% reported binge drinking. While we’ve long known that heavy alcohol consumption during pregnancy can cause these problems, the effects of an occasional glass of wine is less understood. Because we’re just not sure, there has been a push for women to refrain from consuming any alcohol while trying to get pregnant and during pregnancy. This can cause the alcohol levels to remain high and stay in the baby’s body longer. The risk of miscarriage and stillbirth also goes up if the mother drinks alcohol. The trouble with guidelines that recommend total abstinence is they don’t involve nuance. There are certainly women who truly have a problem with alcohol and whose drinking puts their babies at risk. For women who do not have an unhealthy relationship with alcohol and who want to have a drink on a special occasion, they shouldn’t fear being judged or have others make that decision for them. What to avoid during pregnancy Building on a successful 85-year legacy, we support every pregnant person and every family. Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) Alcoholics Anonymous® is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. NIAAA Alcohol Treatment Navigator The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) has an Alcohol Treatment Navigator. The Navigator helps adults find alcohol treatment for themselves or an adult loved one. If a doctor gives the green light, a pregnant person should aim to engage in moderate exercise for at least minutes a day on most days of the week. A doctor or pharmacist can provide advice on which medications are safe to use and can often recommend alternatives if a person can no longer take their regular medications. Using illegal https://ecosoberhouse.com/ substances or certain prescription drugs can cause a newborn to go through neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends that pregnant people consume no more than 200 mg of caffeine per day. Your doctor can refer you to a therapist or program that may be able to help. Think fast: How does your face protect you? However, if we assume, as seems likely, that beliefs and behaviour change will at best lag the publication of official guidelines, these women can be seen to represent a cohort influenced by low alcohol consumption guidelines. As a result, we can view these data as a benchmark for assessing changes in qualitative responses following the change in guidelines. An interesting avenue for future research would be to carry out a similar study with a sample of women who have a similar profile as this group, in order to examine any trends in beliefs and behaviours over time. After delivery, you should continue to pay attention to when you drink alcohol if you’re breastfeeding your baby. Talk to your child’s healthcare provider about the best practices for alcohol use during breastfeeding, but the general rule is to wait at least two hours after having one drink before nursing your baby or pumping your milk. One person might have only a few, while another person could experience all of them.