Can I drink wine during pregnancy?

The list of drinks prohibited during pregnancy, includes alcohol. However, the opinions of medical representatives about the use of wine in the period of gestation differ. Some doctors argue that wine during pregnancy is a dangerous, practically toxic substance, when other doctors tend to believe that small doses of good wine are medicine.

Data from foreign experiments also speak in favor of an alcoholic beverage that helps women become pregnant. Researchers from Britain announced the facts of the beneficial effects of wine on the fetal development of the baby.

Pregnant women themselves have shared with those who cannot hear about an alcoholic drink, and who are not able to resist the desire to make a couple of sips of wine.

[1], [2], [3], [4], [5]

Is it possible to wine during pregnancy?

How to be thinking about the possibility of fetal alcohol syndrome? If this opinion is deeply rooted in your brain, then drink wine during pregnancy, and then you should not be tormented by doubts. If the future mother doesn’t have any worries, then a sip of quality wine can come in handy.

The preference of the pregnant woman should be given high quality, expensive varieties of dry red wine or kagora. Small dosages (spoon) raise the level of hemoglobin in the blood, which is not uncommon when carrying a baby. Wine helps some expectant mothers cope with toxemia and induce appetite.

To the question “is it possible to have wine during pregnancy?” There are two completely opposite answers. Choosing a positive answer, it should be remembered that in case of a burning desire to try a drink of a pregnant woman, you can only take a sip.

English researchers observed children whose mothers allowed themselves a small amount of wine during pregnancy. As a result, such babies were ahead in their development (they were more sociable, they knew more numbers, letters, colors) of their peers, whose mothers completely abandoned alcohol during pregnancy. According to British scientists, a pregnant woman can have up to six glasses of wine or liquor, as well as up to three liters of beer per week. Pregnant women who consumed large amounts of alcohol gave birth to babies with a number of deviations.

No such experiments were conducted in our country, no one will tell how each wine will affect each particular baby. Doctors warn that you cannot drink alcohol at the beginning of pregnancy (up to seventeen weeks).

Is a glass of wine harmful during pregnancy?

Why are so different opinions about the wine while waiting for the baby? On the one hand, the “pros” of British scientists and the ability of the drink to increase hemoglobin, and on the other - the detrimental effect on the developing fetus. The way of our life, full of feasts and holiday festivities, brings up in us a certain need for the consumption of alcohol. Alcohol does not do neither corporate at work, nor a birthday with your family. Naturally, it is difficult for a woman in a position to give up alcohol if she does not want to advertise a pregnancy or has an addiction.

“Does a glass of wine hurt during pregnancy or not?” Is a difficult question. Studies of foreign physicians, talking about the benefits of wine and the amount of up to six glasses per week, some doubt. As they say, Russian is good, then German is death and vice versa. Domestic medical research on the influence of wine on the development of the fetus and the course of pregnancy has not been carried out, therefore, it is not possible to ascertain unequivocally about the benefits / harms of wine.

Medical practice shows that alcohol can harm a child, both at the beginning of fetal development and at the end of pregnancy.

What is meant by moderate consumption of alcohol and what does a safe glass of wine mean during pregnancy? To begin with, the wine glass is a rather large container. If we talk about security, you should understand the concept of a portion of wine and the frequency of use.

So, a portion of alcohol is a volume with a content of not more than 10 ml. Ethyl alcohol. On any bottle there is an indication of the percentage of inclusion of alcohol. Wine contains, as a rule, 12%. In a volume of 125ml / 150ml, respectively, there is more than one portion (1.52) of alcohol. While the expectant mother doctors allow you to drink one or two servings of alcohol no more than twice a week. It should also be borne in mind that at home it is easy to increase the permissible rate, and in restaurants wines are poured into glasses, sometimes containing three portions of alcohol.

[6], [7]

Dry wine

Negative effect on the fruit has not only alcohol contained in wine, but also its processed products in the mother's body. Alcohol causes a spasm in the vessels of the placenta or umbilical cord, causing a lack of oxygen and nutrients.

If a pregnant woman pulls on wine, this may be due to a lack of B vitamins. If you are unbearable to drink, you can sip dry red wine during pregnancy. Just do not need to drink for any reason throughout the nine months. Abuse of alcohol is fraught with miscarriage, developmental defects and all sorts of vices. Moreover, alcohol-containing beverages adversely affect the genetic cell structure of the embryo, changing the structure of DNA, thereby causing the appearance of congenital malformations. Uncontrolled consumption of wine during pregnancy affects the functioning of the central nervous system, leading to impaired intellectual level and behavioral characteristics.

[8], [9]

Non-alcoholic wine

Non-alcoholic wine can be a good alternative for pregnant women. The alcohol content in this product is not more than 0.5% (as in kefir). Wine goes through all the stages of production, and before bottling it removes ethyl alcohol. This is done in a special container using a vacuum.

All trace elements, vitamins, enzymes and organic acids are stored in wine. Non-alcoholic wine during pregnancy and not only is considered a dietary, therapeutic drink. This type of wine is shown in the following cases: 

• gastrointestinal tract diseases due to low acidity (for example, chronic gastritis); 
• conditions of asthenia (chronic fatigue); 
• cirrhosis of the liver; 
• hypertension.

Wine without alcohol has a tonic effect and improves appetite. When used, cholesterol is not oxidized, which prevents the appearance of atherosclerotic plaques in the vessels and lowers blood pressure. Non-alcoholic wine helps to digest the proteins of meat, but at the same time contains two to three times less calories.

Drink non-alcoholic wine during pregnancy should be careful: 

• harmful substances and chemicals that can poison your body and baby may be included; 
• possible development of allergic manifestations due to sulfur or mold present in the wine. A grape variety or a pest treatment method can also lead to unpleasant consequences; 
• has a shorter time than wine containing alcohol; 
• has a high cost, which makes it not always affordable and causes the appearance of many unsafe fakes.

In any case, a wine with low alcohol content is recommended to drink moderately, not more than a glass a week, and if you are confident in the quality of the product.

[10], [11],

White wine

White wines are obtained from white, red and pink grape varieties by separating the skin from the pulp. Antioxidants of white wines are better absorbed in view of their lower content than in red varieties. White light varieties have a positive effect on the work of the lungs and heart muscle, shown in anemia.

Drinking white wine during pregnancy is not the best option compared to red. However, red wine leads to the expansion of blood vessels, causing dizziness and general weakness.

Everything is individual, therefore, if you want to sip the wine in the process of carrying, you should give preference to a non-alcoholic product of the highest and preferably of a proven quality.

Red wine

An interesting fact is that in the pre-Soviet period, some red dry wine was prescribed as a diet during pregnancy. Dry red varieties have a positive effect on blood formation, remove toxic substances from the body. High-quality red wine has in its composition useful minerals, vitamins B and P, which reduce the risk of blood clots.

Cahors or red wine during pregnancy after seventeen weeks is allowed to drink if: 

• it is high quality, free of sugar, quinine, artificial additives, dyes, etc.; 
• his portion is not more than 100ml.

In cases where it is necessary to solve the problem of low hemoglobin, you can resort to the help of red wine, rich in potassium, calcium, sodium, magnesium, iron, zinc, selenium, copper, as well as biologically active substances. But it is possible to increase hemoglobin and other non-alcoholic products: beef, liver, parsley, buckwheat, bananas, pomegranate juice, dogrose. The listed food types are shown in the treatment and prevention of anemia.

To indulge in wine during pregnancy or not is a conscious choice of the woman herself, relying on common sense and personal sensations.

Dry red wine

To use dry red wine during pregnancy was not only possible, but also useful. A new look at alcohol is due to the ability of red wine to increase hemoglobin, eliminate toxicosis and improve appetite.

A number of researchers argue that red wines favorably affect heart work, cope with insomnia. Of course, it is permissible to drink a tablespoon of an alcoholic beverage or a small amount of non-alcoholic wine (not more than 100 ml).

Do not forget about the dangers of alcohol in the first 17 weeks of fetal development. The sense of measure and awareness of responsibility for the physical and mental development of the unborn child should play a decisive role in the question “drink wine during pregnancy or not drink?”.

[12]

Home wine

Home-made wine is a low-alcohol and healthful product. This drink has several advantages: 

• the absence of chemicals and harmful impurities (especially if made from hand-grown fruits, berries, etc.); 
• manufacturing process and storage conditions are controlled directly by you; 
• It is possible to use extracts of medicinal plants, herbs.

Homemade wine during pregnancy can be drunk in small quantities, if you really want (when the "drooling flow"). It lowers blood pressure, strengthens bones, normalizes sleep, has vitamins and microelements. The future mother should be aware of the safe rate - no more than 100 ml.

Wine in early pregnancy

Alcohol contains toxins that easily penetrate through the placenta into fetal tissue. Alcohol can have a negative impact on the formation of organs of the baby, growth and development of the brain. The harmful effects of alcohol are associated with congenital facial abnormalities, learning difficulties, and the problem of movement coordination.

Wine is especially dangerous in early pregnancy when the baby’s organs are quite vulnerable. Alcohol is absorbed into the tissues of the organs of the unborn child, leading to fetal alcohol syndrome with regular drinking while planning, conceiving and carrying. Such children often have physical, mental retardation, concentration problems, and neurological problems.

Obstetricians and gynecologists advise drinking wine during pregnancy no earlier than the 17th week of the term. And you can do it, in extreme cases, if you really really want to. You should not follow the habit or public opinion, without thinking about the consequences.

To consume wine during pregnancy or not - it is up to the pregnant woman herself, relying on medical recommendations and individual taste characteristics. If there is an alarming thought about the possibility of harming the baby, it is better not to risk and completely abandon alcohol consumption during the entire period of pregnancy.