Alcohol during early pregnancy can harm development

I've never been pregnant, yet drinking during pregnancy is an issue that I'm very familiar with. My son's biological mother drank while she was pregnant with him. As a result, my son has Fetal Alcohol Effect. While he doesn't have the craniofacial features that are typical of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, he has many of the behavioral and cognitive impairments associated with the spectrum disorder. For example, though he is 11-years-old, my son's ability to comprehend cause and effect is about the level of a 2-year-old's.

So suffice it to say that I'm glad to see this study stating that even a few glasses of wine in early pregnancy can cause some fetal cell death. The researchers studied the effects of alcohol on fetal development in mice. Evidence shows that a few glasses of wine over an hour can have lasting effects on fetal development.

If you're pregnant, or there's any chance you might be pregnant, don't drink. It's just not worth it. One fun night might turn into permanent impairment that your child has to manage and live with for their rest of his or her life.