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 consumption also creates a harsh environment for the baby born in the womb. It affects the quality of air and food that the unborn baby gets. Eventually, this affects the baby's weight and the development process resulting in premature births or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
Alcohol consumption during pregnancy can affect the brain development of a fetus and limit its physical growth, thereby resulting in the development of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) in children. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is a condition that results from complications such as physical, mental difficulties, or growth challenges when a child is born. These problems are caused by alcohol consumption among pregnant women. Alcohol consumed during pregnancy affects the brain development of a child as well as its physical growth. Statistics indicate that 18% of pregnant women take alcohol during pregnancy. Furthermore, one in every 750 children born globally suffers from FAS. It is estimated that about 40,000 children are born with FAS annually.
O’Brien (2014) asserts that alcohol consumption can have adverse effects on the development of the fetus. He suggests that early Screening Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) can help reduce the risks of FAS. According to Testa, Quigley, Eiden (2003), women whose pregnancies are unintended are at a higher risk of consuming alcohol, thereby exposing the child to FAS. On the other hand, Sanders and Currie (2014) postulate that the tendency to consume alcohol during pregnancy may be affected by several factors, including cultural, environmental, historical, and economical. In a study conducted by Zoorob et al. (2014), it was clear that training on SBIRT increased the practical knowledge of nurses on the condition. However, there is a need to update training materials.
Any quantity of alcohol consumed at any time during pregnancy can have adverse effects on the developing child. At every level of alcohol exposure, fetuses are at risk for fetal alcohol syndrome. Alcohol may cross the placenta and cause damage to the embryo, hindering the growth of the fetus. Prenatal alcohol exposure can lead to several disorders called fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, and fetal alcohol syndrome is one of the most serious effects of alcohol exposure during pregnancy. It is a pattern of congenital disabilities.
Newborns with alcohol syndrome may have difficulty breathing, eating, seizures, and have learning problems in the early stages, such as inattention, ADHD, and slow language development (Seaver, 2010, p.1). Carter et al., (2005, p.473) define FAS as “a syndrome of prenatal growth deficiency, developmental delay, and specific craniofacial dysmorphology.” Seaver (2010, p.2) points out that some of the “classic features of FAS include short stature, low birth weight and poor weight gain, an abnormally small head (microcephaly), and a characteristic pattern of facial features.”
A large portion of the developmental effects of prenatal alcohol exposure may result from characteristics associated with heavy maternal alcohol consumption (Larroque al., 1995, p.1658). High levels of prenatal alcohol exposure can have teratogenic effects on fetal development, leading to physical, cognitive, and behavioral defects (Robinson et al., 2010, p.1139). According to Goldschmidt et al. (1996, p.767), “alcohol use during pregnancy affected the academic achievement of the exposed offspring." There was a significant association between prenatal alcohol exposure and academic functioning deficits.
Children exposed to alcohol during mid-pregnancy had lower scores on the WRAT-R subtests of arithmetic, spelling, and reading. The effects of prenatal alcohol exposure are present even when controlling for the relationship between IQ and achievement. The timing appears to be specific to mid-pregnancy or mid-pregnancy (Goldschmidt et al., 1996, p.769). Children who have been exposed to alcohol prior to pregnancy may have impairments in completing complex tasks. These tasks include the Cognitive-Based Measure of Executive Function test and the Affective Measure of Executive Function test. These two tests reliably predict behavioral problems contained in children with prenatal alcohol exposure (Kodituwakku, Kalberg, & May, 2001).
According to Archibald et al., (2001, p.148), “prenatal exposure to alcohol reportedly causes abnorm...