Alcohol intake during pregnancy and fetal alcohol syndrome

Abstract

Alcohol intake during pregnancy is a major public health challenge because of the numerous deleterious effects on a developing fetus. A range of contextual and structural factors such as poverty, histories of trauma and violence, physical and mental health concerns, sociocultural and economic vulnerabilities, and child welfare involvement are influences the utilization of alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Binge drinking; which means an intake of greater or equal to 5 drinks on a single occasion is the most hazardous pattern of alcohol drinking that can cause high blood alcohol concentration and injuries the unborn fetus by passing across the placenta. Fetal alcohol syndrome can be described by a specific pattern of abnormal facial features, growth retardation, and central nervous system abnormalities which frequently result in behavioral and/or cognitive disabilities. Teratogenic effects of fetal alcohol exposure may lead to actual and potential challenges, instantly after birth, at infancy, or even later, leading to anatomical abnormalities, behavioral problems, and mental impairment in life. Bilateral renal agenesis is occurred during the second month of pregnancy; if the pregnant women consume the alcohol heavily. The deformities of cardiac abnormalities demonstrated from prenatal alcohol exposure are plastic kidneys, dysplastic kidneys, ureteral duplications, hypoplastic kidneys, hydronephrosis, and horseshoe kidneys.