Why abstaining from alcohol during pregnancy is so important

Warum Alkoholverzicht in der Schwangerschaft so wichtig ist

Alcohol is a cytotoxin and is harmful to your child's development at every stage. You should therefore not only make sure you eat a healthy diet during your pregnancy, but also avoid alcohol completely. No matter when you consume alcohol during pregnancy, it will always cause varying degrees of damage to your unborn child.

Why is alcohol so dangerous during pregnancy?

You should not drink alcohol when you are pregnant. Your child is directly connected to your organism via the umbilical cord. All the food you consume is therefore passed on to your child unfiltered via the umbilical cord. If you drink alcohol during pregnancy, your blood alcohol level is transferred to your unborn child within a few minutes. As your child continues to develop from the beginning to the end of your pregnancy, drinking alcohol during pregnancy can lead to serious developmental problems. Your body is much larger and fully mature, your organs can break down the blood alcohol level much faster than the immature organs of your not yet fully developed unborn child. Alcohol during pregnancy can therefore not only lead to developmental disorders, but can also damage your child's organs. You should therefore completely avoid forbidden foods during pregnancy, regardless of which week of pregnancy you are in. In the worst-case scenario, a newborn baby may have to go through withdrawal after birth if the mother has regularly consumed alcohol during pregnancy.

Do not overreact

Although you should avoid alcohol completely when you are pregnant, you should not overreact if you had a glass of wine when, according to the pregnancy calendar, you couldn't even know you were pregnant. However, as soon as you find out about your pregnancy, you should prioritise a healthy diet and avoid alcohol altogether. These nutritional guidelines apply not only during pregnancy, but also during breastfeeding. Only when your child is no longer physically connected to you in any way and you are no longer breastfeeding can you change your diet again.

Here are a few tips on which drinks are particularly suitable during pregnancy.

What are the risks?

Bear in mind that damage caused by alcohol consumption during pregnancy is not always obvious. Consequential damage, such as behavioural abnormalities, mental deficits and psychological abnormalities, may only become apparent later. If you want to protect your child from damage caused by prohibited foods during pregnancy, you should completely avoid alcohol during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. In this way, you are acting responsibly and protecting the health of your unborn child.