Contents page 1 — “No one would ask how much radio activity for Pregnant women is okay” side 2 — “alcohol consumption in pregnancy is often not recognized” On a page
The effects of passive drinking for babies to be underestimated. In the journal “BMC Medicine” researchers reported recently that in Germany every year thousands of babies born with a Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Including almost 3,000 with a Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), the full expression of the disorder. Heike Wolter treated as a child and youth psychiatrist at the social pediatric centre of the youth psychiatry of the Charité hospital in Berlin such children.
Zeit ONLINE: Ms. Wolter, alcohol Unborn child causes damage to, everybody knows that, or not?
Heike Wolter: you would think so, although some myths hold. From parents I hear time and again: “Well, the gynecologist has not told, from time to time, a glass, a pity.”
TIME ONLINE: Why is alcohol for the Unborn so harmful?
Wolter: The biggest Problem is that the brain is damaged during its development. The mechanisms through which this happens exactly, you don’t know yet, but there is evidence that the cross-linking of the nerve cells, and cell division are disrupted.
TIME ONLINE: And how the alcohol gets into the circulation of the baby?
Wolter: On the maternal blood via the placenta and via the umbilical cord. The Unborn child is exposed to at least the Alcohol level of the mother in the blood – with the disadvantage that the organism of the Unborn child can not break down the alcohol itself. As a result, the Baby is exposed to in the belly of the alcohol concentration much longer.
TIME ONLINE: If children have a visible or significant damage due to alcohol during the pregnancy of their mothers, talk to doctors from a Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder with the English acronym FASD. What everything includes?
Wolter: FASD and the medical umbrella term that encompasses the various diagnoses. The full clinical picture is referred to as the Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Not to count the features only limitations on the concentration, the memory and the learning ability of the children, but external Stigmata such as growth retardation and abnormalities of the face, such as a narrow upper lip, a canceled Philtrum – this is the crease above the upper lip, and shortened Palpebral fissures.
TIME ONLINE: And in contrast?
Wolter: physicians distinguish Partial Fetal alcohol syndrome (PFAS), which partially recognizable visible malformations and impaired cognitive abilities. If people show no outward abnormalities, but structural or functional impairments of the brain to suffer, this is called alcohol-related development of neurological damage, on English Alcohol-Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder (ARND).
TIME ONLINE: Now some mothers say: Yes, I drank a glass of wine when I was pregnant, and my Baby is healthy. What determines it so, whether really an injury?
Wolter: This is not explored in conclusion. But it is certain, that the genetic conditions of the Unborn play a role. There are twins in cases in which the a is stronger affected than the other, even though they were exposed to in the womb the same amount of alcohol. And there are children of mothers who have been drinking, the show, after the birth no abnormalities – or at least not one with which the parents seek medical advice. These cases are not well documented for the research. As a precaution, we recommend that, in General, No alcohol in pregnancy!
TIME ONLINE: increasing the degree of the injury because with the amount of alcohol?
Wolter: It can be assumed: The more is drunk, the greater the damage. Most of the details are, how much mothers when drunk, but inaccurate. You can often remember exactly the amounts or how often you have something to drink.
TIME ONLINE: What is the role of the timing of the pregnancy?
Wolter: is Just the start of the Embryo to malformations particularly sensitive – although you have to note is that the quantity and frequency of alcohol consumption plays a more important role. No matter what the time: You should not Pregnant support is always there to drink.
TIME ONLINE: Regularly, a glass or a full noise makes a difference?
Wolter: There is evidence that a sudden, very strong surge of alcohol in the blood of Pregnant women harmful than small amounts over a longer period of time. When the topic of alcohol in pregnancy is always: How much you can drink without harming the Unborn? In the case of other substances, which cause harm to the Unborn, we are much more strict. No one would ask how much radio activity is for Pregnant okay. Also, the environment signaled to often: Oh, that’s a glass you can drink with us.
Zeit ONLINE: but There are also women who are alcoholic. Those who suffer from addiction, it will create hardly alone, to be at once dry. You know how many of those Affected, ultimately, children of Alcoholics are?
Wolter: no, because we know little about the mothers and the alcohol disease is often not known, or is diagnosed. For alcoholic women, there is unfortunately no known to me reliable, helpful concept. We don’t do it again and again with alcoholic mothers who have to do it in the fifth and sixth child, alcohol consumption, and any help to escape. Alcohol has in society a high priority. It is a dangerous drug that can also be acquired free and cheap.
Pregnant women and alcohol help for alcoholics Pregnant
Wigwam Connect and the Charité to provide care and Beratungskonconcepts for Pregnant women, the struggle of addiction with a substance or alcohol. Mothers with addiction problems can go in addition, at the Charité hospital in outpatient care. On the database of the German centre for addiction set e. V. to be Concerned, can find also local advice centres. The Internet platform Iris provides for Pregnant women who drink occasionally, a online advice, as well as interactive Exercises. The national Addiction and drug Hotline (01805/313031) is also for Addicts and their families around the clock.
