Nearly every doctor advices to refrain from alcohol while you are pregnant however most of them are unable to tell you what level of drinking can be harmful to the fetus which is growing. There are no doubts about the fact that drinking is fatal to fetus and this is the mere reason why doctors advise their patients to stay away from alcohol during pregnancy.

Does the alcohol actually enter the baby's bloodstream?

Alcohol is defined as a teratogen meaning it with the embryonic development. Alcohol, X-rays and rubella are some of the major examples of teratogen. In this case, the alcohol you consume passes over to the placenta and causes harm not only to you but also to the baby developing inside. In fact, your baby is at a higher danger when you are drinking alcohol because growing babies metabolize the alcohol you intake slowly. In this way, they have more alcohol in their in-utero then you.

Some major side effects of consuming alcohol during pregnancy:

In general, alcohol is harmful to the baby and you during any stage of pregnancy but its effects are intense in the first three months of pregnancy. During the first three months of pregnancy, he fetus initiates the most basic development of the baby. The eyes, arms heart, nervous system, and legs of the baby are developed in the first four weeks of pregnancy.

If you are drinking alcohol during the first three months that means you are seriously harming your baby because in these months the baby's development and growth are rapid. Drinking alcohol in these three months is like you are interfering with the growth and development of your baby which can be a healthy process otherwise. It is highly important that you refrain from alcohol during pregnancy or your baby will be born with FAS or fetal alcohol effects and this is a condition which would lasts his whole lifetime.

Diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome:

Doctors usually examine the child thoroughly and look for various physical characteristics that are found in a child having this syndrome. These physical characteristics include the following:

- Underweight at the time of birth
- Baby born with small eyes and head
- Having short eye opening
- Baby having flattened cheekbones
- Improper development of the upper lip

Not only this but a child who suffers from fetal alcohol syndrome can also have deformed limbs, hypoplastic, intellectual impairments, short neck and deformed joints.

Some other common side effects of having alcohol during pregnancy:

There are various other side effects that have been observed in babies that grow under this condition. Such a baby has a slower growth rate compared to the average babies and can have difficulties in hearing and seeing properly. They can also be hyperactive, can get easily nervous, and can have learning disabilities and poor concentrating abilities. The diagnosis of FAS is still not very certain and at times can result in doctors diagnosing the baby for other similar disorders relating to the nervous system or physical changes.