November 16, 2011
Alcohol: Is An Occasional Drink Really OK During Pregnancy?
photo from www.newscientist.com
A recent medical study by Dr. Ira J. Chasnoff of the Children’s Research Triangle asserts that Hispanic women who have assimilated to American culture have a greater risk of having children born with fetal alcohol syndrome. According to Chasnoff , pregnant Hispanic women in San Antonio had the second highest drinking rate of 29 cities in the states that were studied. I find that rather hard to believe based on my twenty-one year history of taking care of Hispanic pregnant women. I have seen first, second and third generation Hispanic women and never encountered alcoholism among any of them. However, Chasnoff brings up an interesting point about alcohol and pregnancy. There are two schools of thought. According to Good Morning America, there are physicians such as Dr. Jacques Moritz, who think an occasional glass of wine is okay to consume during pregnancy however the U.S. Surgeon General and the American College of Obstetrician-Gynecologists advocate strict abstinence from alcohol while pregnancy.
According to medical literature, more than one-half of women of childbearing age report drinking alcohol and 1 out of 8 women report binge drinking. Alcohol appears to have negative effects throughout the entire pregnancy, not just during the first-trimester. At present, it is not known how many drinks consumed would affect the fetus, therefore strict abstinence is recommended before conception and during the pregnancy.
What happens if a pregnant woman is alcohol dependent? She will need close monitoring because of the adverse effect on the fetus including support from a multidisciplinary team of healthcare and social work providers. Women who consume three or more drinks per day are encouraged to enter an alcohol treatment program. Women who drink less than 3 drinks per day are encouraged to receive counseling. The pediatrician should be present at the birth of a woman who is alcohol dependent in the event the baby has alcohol withdrawal. Women who continue to drink should be discouraged from breastfeeding.
Dr. Chasnoff is to be commended for studying substance abuse and pregnant women but please don’t stereotype ethnic groups in the process. Pregnant women should abstain from drinking alcohol if at all possible. Remember, a healthy pregnancy doesn’t just happen. It takes a smart mother who knows what to do.
Sarah Irvine said,
November 18, 2011 at 9:44 pm
This astounds me!!!! no safe amt of alchol period,, if you don’t believe come and live in my house for 24 hours. !!!!
Pattie, RN said,
November 21, 2011 at 11:43 am
Overall I share you concern, and there is no question of the damage alcohol abuse can have on the fetus.
However, it may be a case of going after a housefly with a cruise missile to suggest that three or four oz. of wine with dinner a handful of times in the third trimester is of equal concern. I understand that it DOES involve “taking a chance”, but in light of the amount of alcohol and tobacco that were consumed (along with weight loss drugs and a 120 Kcal diet!) by women in the forties through the early seventies, how much of an empirical risk are we looking at?
If the pleasure allows a mom to enjoy her anniversary dinner, a sip of eggnog at Christmas, or half a beer on the Fourth of July, might we not be overstating the danger for educated moms who are getting excellent prenatal care and nutrition?
drlindagalloway said,
November 21, 2011 at 4:05 pm
Thanks for your comments, Pattie. The honest answer to your question is that we honestly don’t know. A sip of eggnog? Probably okay. A half-beer on the 4th of July? Not sure. That’s why information is so important. It allows a patient to make INFORMED decisions based on the facts. Thanks so much for your comments. What university are you affiliated with? I love to receive responses from nurses.
Pattie, RN said,
November 21, 2011 at 11:44 am
Pardon, the second paragraph should state “1200 Kcal diet” !