Too Many Women Drinking Alcohol During Pregnancy

It is a taboo subject, nevertheless it has to be discussed……women who drink during pregnancy! For years now researchers and doctors have said that drinking during pregnancy is harmful to the unborn fetus. Even though there is a possibility that birth defects may result, not to mention cognitive, developmental and emotional deficits, mothers of developing fetuses continue to drink.

With that said, statistics concerning pregnant women who drink are staggering. A recent study reveals that notwithstanding warnings by doctors, researchers and public service announcements, one in thirteen women continue to drink during pregnancy.

On Thursday, The Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report stating that among women 18 to 44, 51% informed researchers that they drank alcohol in the past month [30 days]. At least 7.6% of that age group account for pregnant women who drank during the past month. Meanwhile, of that group, 1.4% considered themselves binge drinkers [consuming at least four drinks during one sitting].

Researchers at The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analyzed data from the years of 2006 to 2010. When researchers compared the 2006 to 2010 data they recognized that there was a small improvement from 2001 to 2005. For example, binge drinking dropped by .4%, down to 1.4% from the previous 1.8%.

Although, among non-pregnant women the figure for binge drinking did increase, up by 2.4%, as the number of non-pregnant women who said they engaged in binge drinking escalated from 12.6% during the years of 2001 to 2005 to 15% during the years of 2006 to 2010.

A spokesperson for the March of Dimes exclaimed that if you are unsure if you are pregnant, or think you are pregnant, do not drink alcohol; of course it goes without saying, if you are pregnant do not drink.

Apparently, there is some confusion with regard to what alcohol consists of; Alcohol includes all of the following, among others: beer, liquor, wine coolers and wine. As well, during pregnancy, total abstinence is the only safe route. Make no mistake, even a single glass of alcohol could pose a risk.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2005 then U.S. Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona advised women to not drink if they were pregnant or thought they were pregnant.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in its recent report, suggested that an increased alcohol excise tax, limiting alcohol outlet density, as well as the instituting of public health interventions would decrease the misuse of alcohol among childbearing-age women, non-pregnant and pregnant alike.

Original Article: www.latimes.com

Photo courtesty of www.telegraph.co.uk