• Alcohol during pregnancy poses significant harm to the expectant mother and her unborn child
• Expecting mothers also feel an aversion to most alcoholic drinks
• Alcohol consumption during pregnancy has life-threatening consequences

Alcohol during pregnancy can pass on to the placenta and to the unborn baby through your blood. Your fetus cannot process any quantity of alcohol due to the restricted development of body organs. Alcohol can interrupt the baby’s growth leading to several birthing and pregnancy complications. 

There is no amount of alcohol safe during pregnancy.

Common side-effects of alcohol during pregnancy include:

• Loss of pregnancy 
• Preterm delivery 
• Childbirth and labour risks 
• Disrupted brain development 
• Difficulty with attention 
• Restricted growth of the baby 
• Speech and language problems 
• Stillbirth 
• Pre-eclampsia 
• Low birth weight 
• Higher chances of illness during infancy 
• Low intellectual growth

Fetal alcohol syndrome is a chronic condition in children whose mothers have excessive amounts of alcohol during their pregnancy. This condition causes brain damage as well as other growth and development problems in children leading to physical deformities, restrictions to brain development and behavioural issues.

Symptoms of fetal alcohol syndrome are:

• A decline in growth as compared to other children 
• Hyperactivity 
• Difficulty in hearing or seeing clearly 
• Poor coordination
• Memory issues
• Heart defects 
• Small head and other facial distinctions
• Learning and communication disorders
• Poor social behaviour