Drinking Minimal Amounts of
Alcohol During Pregnancy, Affects Fetal Brain, , Study Finds.
Drinking Minimal Amounts of
Alcohol During Pregnancy, Affects Fetal Brain, , Study Finds.
The study was conducted by researchers at the Medical University of Vienna. .
The researchers will present their findings at the upcoming Radiological Society of North America's annual meeting.
According to the study, a single alcoholic drink in a week during pregnancy can be detrimental to the fetal brain.
It found that occasional drinking can alter the part of the fetal brain that will be eventually used in social skills and the interpretation of language.
It might be a very small risk associated with every glass you might drink during pregnancy, , Dr. Marlene Stuempflen, Study Co-Author,
via Insider.
... but you never know if that may be the one that pushes you over the edge, Dr. Marlene Stuempflen, Study Co-Author,
via Insider.
While the study was small, researchers used real-time fetal brain imaging to collect their data.
We really put an emphasis on generating a very structured and very unbiased dataset and collection of patients, Dr. Marlene Stuempflen, Study Co-Author,
via Insider.
The study found that the development of fetal brains was slower in some mothers who drank occasionally.
In addition, the fetal brains in mothers who occasionally drank could develop smoothness and were more symmetrical.
The most surprising thing to me was that fetuses who were exposed to a relatively low amount of alcohol developed this symmetrical brain, Dr. Patric Kienast, Study Lead Author,
via Insider.
That means that less than one drink a week, we already saw these effects, Dr. Patric Kienast, Study Lead Author,
via Insider.
Doctors have cautioned against heavy drinking during pregnancy for some time.
We know that prenatal alcohol exposure is the most important contributing factor to preventable cognitive impairments in children and, later on, adults, Dr. Marlene Stuempflen, Study Co-Author,
via Insider