20% of Pregnant Women Drink Alcohol and Find it OK

The British researchers have found that 20% of pregnant women use alcohol, and 10% smoke. In this case, one in ten women, being an expectant mother, sincerely believes that alcohol will not harm her baby.

10% of pregnant women do not believe that drinking will cause any harm to their expected babies. Such a shocking conclusion was made by the sociologists from the UK, who interviewed hundreds of women in the country. The survey showed that one in five expectant mothers drinks alcohol, and almost half of them believe that if they do not get drunk to complete unconsciousness, it does not hurt their babies.

Another 10% of women believe that smoking during pregnancy is safe, and almost half (44%) consume more caffeine than recommended. Over a third of expectant mothers also consume foods, normally forbidden during pregnancy, such as rare meat, certain cheeses, unpasteurized milk and raw shrimp.

When asked why they did so, most of these women said they considered their behavior not dangerous for the baby. Meanwhile, when these women were asked whether they felt any condemnation from other people, 91% of the respondents answered in the affirmative. Despite this, more than half of them would continue doing so if they got pregnant again.

During pregnancy, women are advised to adhere to certain behaviors to protect the growing fetus. It is necessary to eliminate the use of alcohol, as it can be transmitted through the placenta and can seriously affect the child’s development. If you are pregnant, smoking is strictly prohibited because it poses risk to the heart of the baby. In addition, cigarettes have a negative impact on the development of the brain, as well as increase the risk of stillbirth and premature birth.

Drinking a large amount of caffeine during pregnancy results in the birth of underweight babies. It is recommended to reduce the amount of this agent to 200 mg per day, which is equal to two cups of instant coffee.