Despite U.S. Surgeon General warnings that using alcohol during pregnancy puts a fetus at risk of premature birth, mental and physical retardation and death, a recent study found that more than one in 10 pregnant women drink.
Data was collected from over 1,000 responses to a short questionnaire in the doctor’s office. Some 15 percent of pregnant women reported the use of any alcohol while six percent indicated that they had had one or more binge drinking (defined as five or more drinks at one sitting) episodes.
Most commonly, women who reported binge drinking were smokers or were at the beginning stages of their pregnancy, according to researchers.
The majority of women who reported alcohol use during pregnancy said that they had one or fewer drinks per week.
Giving pregnant women a brief questionnaire during a routine prenatal visit would allow health care workers to identify women who are drinking and educate them about the potential risks, researchers say.
Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research January 2003;27:81-87
Someone has to stick up for the defenseless unborn babies. If you know someone who is pregnant please be persistent in educating her about the dangers of consuming alcohol while pregnant.
Although coffee is not as problematic as alcohol, it also needs to be avoided during pregnancy. Pesticides are another type of toxin that should be avoided, as they kill 20,000 fetuses every year.
If you know a pregnant women, or any other person for that matter, who is truly addicted to alcohol you should encourage them to consider professional treatment.
You might also recommend a qualified EFT practitioner to help them deal with emotional challenges that may be contributing to their dependency. Gary Craig provides a list of EFT Practitioner Referrals to help you find a practitioner in your area.
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The Truth About Caffeine (Especially During Pregnancy)
Pesticides Linked to Miscarriage