Alcohol and pregnancy: ten years, the child's IQ is lowered

A light to moderate alcohol consumption during pregnancy, especially in the second quarter, causing a decline in IQ of the child focused on reaching the age of ten, confirms a study published in the journal "Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research."

IQ is a measure of the ability of a child to learn and survive in its environment. It also predicts the potential for academic success. If the fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) affects only a small proportion, but significant newborns each year, many are exposed to alcohol before birth who have deficits in their growth and function cognitive, without meeting the criteria for defining the SAF.

"The intellectual functioning is the first reliable measure of potential damage from prenatal exposure to alcohol," said Paul D. Connor, a specialist at the University of Washington. "However, he adds, mental retardation characterizes only a minority of patients with FAS and related neurodevelopmental disorder Alcohol (ARND). There are many other areas of cognitive functioning that can be damaged even with someone one with a relatively normal IQ, including the ability to adapt to succeed academically, to solve problems and learn from their experience. However, the absence of these qualities in finance for example makes difficult to success in this area, "illustrates the researcher.

Jennifer A. Willford, who led the work at the University of Pittsburgh analyzed data collected as part of the Project on practices for maternal health and child development, and assessed alcohol consumption by 611 pregnant women she followed each trimester of pregnancy, before taking their child from birth to the age of 10.

"This study shows that even mild to moderate alcohol consumption during pregnancy can affect IQ," says Dr. Willford. It also appears that "the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on IQ were more severe in children who had been exposed during the second trimester of pregnancy."

Stop drinking alcoholic beverages as soon as possible therefore proves beneficial, said Dr. Willford.

And the issue of a minimum alcohol allowed during pregnancy remains unanswered.

"The best policy is to curb alcohol consumption during pregnancy or when a woman is planning to become pregnant, or if he happens to drink after conception, stop as soon as possible after get be realized, "the researchers recommend.