Drinking While Pregnant: Bad for Baby For many pregnant women, the joy and excitement of having a baby consumes them. A woman can change her whole lifestyle in an effort to give birth to a healthy baby. But what happens if you have a disease that is so destructive that an abrupt lifestyle change could kill you? Alcoholic women have to worry about their health as well as their unborn child. But it’s difficult to be healthy and sober when the disease of alcoholism controls your every decision and action. Fighting FASD and Stigma It’s not easy to stop drinking when you have an addiction, even when you’re pregnant. Drinking while you’re pregnant can have devastating results, like fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). This spectrum of conditions includes physical, behavioral and psychological problems in children. There is no cure for these disorders and continue on in your child’s life. It’s devastating to learn that your newborn has a health problem and even worse when it was something that could have been avoided. Women who give birth to infants with FASD experience stigma as well as legal issues. The lack of support and legal issues can lead to depression and anxiety, which in turn leads to drinking more alcohol to help cope. However, groups like Circle of Hope offer support to women who drank while pregnant and have a child with FASD. These women or “Warrior Moms” are encouraged and supported through their addiction recovery. Getting Past the Hurdles FASD is preventable only if you don’t drink alcohol. Getting treatment from an alcohol addiction rehab helps you with your addiction. The skills and knowledge gained from rehab and support from groups like Circle of Hope help you and your baby get through this difficult time.
