Alcohol's Longterm Effects on an Unborn Baby

Primary Findings of the Study

           

This study documented the mental health of children whose mothers consumed, at some point during the pregnancy, 4 or more drinks a day. A pattern of 4 or more drinks a day was identified as binge drinking, however the average blood alcohol levels were low to moderate.

The sample population totaled 14, 541 pregnancies from a specific region in the UK. Eleven years after the births, researchers returned and questioned both the parents and the children’s teacher as to the mental stability of the children. The results were that the children, especially girls, from binge drinkers were more likely to have trouble with hyperactivity or inattentiveness.

Implications of the Study

            There have been multiple studies that show what excessive drinking during pregnancy will do. Fetal alcohol syndrome can result from this and includes physical as well as severe mental conditions. However, these mothers did not fit the criteria for excessive drinking, but experienced occasional binge drinking. Even with “just a few drinks,” the negative effects can be seen eleven years later in the children’s hyperactivity. This should encourage pregnant women to stay away from alcohol entirely during the pregnancy. It is a simple choice for the mother that could affect the outcome of her child's life for years to come. It is interesting that girls seemed to show the hyperactivity more than the boys, which it has been shown that adult women are usually more susceptible to the effects of alcohol than men.

Limitations of the Research

            This study pooled from a large sample in the UK, but the research may look differently in the United States. Also, the major ethnicity studied was Caucasian women. The results may be different for various ethnicities. Throughout the study, they tried to ensure that other factors were not introduced when measuring the children’s mental health. However, the research was based on questionnaires given to the mothers during the 18^th week of pregnancy and then the 32^nd week of pregnancy. The determination for binge drinking was based from the participants’ answers. There were many variables that could have occurred during the eleven years of the children’s lives that may also have contributed to the hyperactivity.

       Sayal, K., Draper, E., Heron, J., Alati, R., Lewis, S., Fraser, R., ... Golding, J. (2014, August 4). Prenatal exposure to binge pattern of alcohol consumption: Mental health and learning outcomes at age 11. Retrieved September 15, 2014.

Abstract