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Chances of damage to child by drinking in prgnancy.

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I found out I was pregnant today. It is the first day of my missed period and I used a First Response early pregnancy test. I had a miscarriage in December and my periods have been irregular. For the past couple of weeks, I have been drinking quite heavily (6 beers a night) and smoking 10 cigarrettes. I want to know the probability (honestly) that I have caused permanent damage to my child. I am capable of stopping, which I did completely when I was pregnant last time.

Category: OBGYN

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Dr. Aarti Vazirani
Category: Infertility Specialist
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Expert:  Dr. Aarti Vazirani
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Hello,
Thanks for posting your query at DoctorSpring.com
Well, there is good news and there is bad news.
6 beers daily constitutes heavy drinking.
Heavy alcohol consumption in early pregnancy is known to cause a spectrum of disorders, particularly in the fetal brain.
I am not saying that your baby WILL have issues, I am just saying that there is a really high possibility of the baby having behavioural disorders and brain damage.
Please go through this link -
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23905882
Smoking too is known to cause certain birth defects, though its effects are manifested more ominously in later stages of pregnancy.
This link might help you too -
http://humupd.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2011/07/09/humupd.dmr022.full
So, yes, there is a strong likelihood of the child being born with problems.
Now, the good news.
The moment you stop drinking, most of the deleterious effects are stopped right there, the progression stops I mean.
They cannot be reversed, but the intensity of the effects is mitigated.
So please stop right away.
Also take 5 mg per day of folic acid daily until you deliver.
All the best
Please feel free to discuss further.
Regards.

Dr. Aarti Vazirani
Category: Infertility Specialist
Experience: 
Residency: Obstetrics & Gynecolog, BJMC,Civil hospital, Ahmedabad, 2008
Post Graduate: MS (Obstetrics & Gynecology), B.J. Medical College, Ahmedabad, 2008
Medical School: MBBS, B.J. Medical College, Ahmedabad, 2004
Dr. Aarti Vazirani and 4 other Medical Specialists are ready to help you

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