Effects of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure on Children Summary

Effects of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure on Children
Tiffany
University at Buffalo
ENG105Z13
April 8, 2021
Effects of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure on Children
Pregnancy is an important period for women but comes with various challenges and responsibilities. The fetus in the woman's womb goes through several changes as it develops over the nine-month duration of the pregnancy. The woman's body also undergoes numerous changes as it adjusts to accommodate the developing fetus. Given the importance of pregnancy in nurturing the unborn child's life, there are several cultural beliefs and traditions that all seek to protect the woman and her unborn child from ensuring a successful pregnancy period and safe delivery of the child. One such area governed by cultural taboos and beliefs is the type of food that the pregnant women are either recommended to eat or advised not to consume. For example, pregnant women are discouraged from consuming alcohol and other drugs. Recent studies on this subject have also established that alcohol consumption during pregnancy can have adverse effects on the developing fetus. Alcohol has different chemical components, some of which can be very harmful to the fetus. Teratogen, for example, is a chemical component in alcohol that causes birth defects or functional impairment in the developing fetus (Seaver, 2010, p. 1). Therefore, there is sufficient evidence in extant literature indicating that the consumption of alcohol among pregnant women can result in several irreparable damages to the fetus's development.
Pregnant or expectant women play a crucial role in the development of the baby. Their actions and lifestyle choices can affect the development process of the fetus, thereby influencing how the baby looks like and their health conditions at birth. Given this important role, it is vital to recognize the need for expectant women to make good lifestyle choices that promote their personal interests and the interests of the unborn baby. The lifestyle choices of pregnant women and mothers have a profound effect on the unborn baby's development. Engaging in recreational practices like alcohol consumption can pose a serious threat to the mother's health and that of the unborn baby. Therefore, the choice of whether or not to consume alcohol during the period of pregnancy is an important one for the mother, given that it influences the development process of the fetus.
The mother's womb is a special house for the unborn baby. Therefore, for the fetus to live a healthy life in the womb before the pregnancy comes to term, there has to be a good environment for it to nourish. Since much of the livelihood of the unborn baby depends on the mother, for instance, for nutrition, oxygen, and blood circulation, it is important that the mother creates the best conditions for the baby in the womb by consuming healthy foods.
While alcohol consumption is generally harmful to every drinker's life, it exposes women, especially pregnant women, to even greater risk. Nevertheless, despite these huge risks associated with alcohol consumption for pregnant women, it is still estimated that approximately 10% of expectant women in the US consume alcohol on a regular basis during their pregnancy. Excessive alcohol consumpti...