Prevention of alcohol syndrome in the fetus and withdrawal syndrome in newborns

Prevention of alcoholic fetus syndrome

The use of alcohol by the mother during pregnancy can adversely affect the development of both the body and the brain of the fetus. The consequences of this harmful effect can remain with a person all his life. The leading place among these disorders is occupied by changes in the brain leading to defects in cognitive functions, including memory impairment and learning difficulties, attention disorders, poor motor coordination, and difficulty in solving problems. The effects of a significant alcoholic effect on intrauterine development are denoted by the term "alcoholic fetus syndrome".

Prevention of alcoholic fetal syndrome is based on the exclusion of pregnant women using alcohol and other surfactants. In a broad sense, this should be not only the effective prevention of alcoholism in women, but also the prevention of any use of surfactants during pregnancy, and preferably during the entire reproductive period. A woman should avoid taking any doses of alcohol, since she may not know for a while about the pregnancy that has occurred. The fetus is particularly sensitive to the damaging effects of alcohol in the first trimester of pregnancy. To prevent such prophylaxis, it is necessary to outline a high-risk group for the formation of fetal alcohol syndrome. Who can give birth to a child with signs of alcoholic fetal syndrome or other abnormalities related to the intrauterine effect of alcohol? First of all, these are women who suffer from alcoholism and do not stop using alcohol during pregnancy. However, it can be women who are not sick with alcoholism, but because of different reasons they use alcohol, but the time of pregnancy.

The diagnosis of alcoholism is not as obvious as it seems. It is useful to point out the indirect signs by which you can suspect that women consume alcohol during pregnancy. Highlights the following signs of high risk group for the formation of alcoholic fetal syndrome.

• Some single women.
• Young women having children.
• Women aged 17-32 years.
• Not employed at work women.
• Many women drink.
• Smoking women.
• Women who became victims of rape or incest (incest).
• Women whose husbands are sick with alcoholism.
• Daughters of mothers with alcoholism.
• Women with secondary education are more at risk than women with higher education.
• Women employed at work with a high level of stress.

Particular attention should be paid to girls aged 15-19. According to some reports, 1 million children give birth to this mother every year. In this age group, alcohol consumption is very common, moreover, abuse of alcohol can occur with such psychological trauma as an unplanned pregnancy.

According to the results of a number of studies, the identification of women who do not stop using alcohol during pregnancy is possible on the basis of a number of factors. This is the early age of the first use of alcohol, the detection of heavy drinking or alcoholism among siblings or the mother, a report of high tolerance to alcohol of a pregnant woman, the appearance of alcohol-related illnesses, for example alcoholic gastritis, pancreatitis, psychosis. Continuing to consume alcohol during pregnancy of women is distinguished by their social environment: often their husbands and friends use alcohol and drugs. During pregnancy, women who are ill with alcoholism and can not overcome this strong dependence continue to drink alcohol, or those who do not know about the severe consequences of intrauterine exposure to alcohol on the health of the child and do not believe in the doctor's explanations.

In this regard, it is necessary to provide information to women who are at high risk of giving birth to a child with alcoholic fetus syndrome, about the harm of alcohol to the health of an unborn baby, and to explain the same provisions to the general population. P. Connor and A. Stressgus believe that information programs that disseminate information about the harmful effects of alcohol during pregnancy allow women to make their choice on a more meaningful basis. Informing persons employed in the primary health care system and in women's consultations about the effects of alcohol use by a prospective mother facilitates the identification of a risk group. With the help of all interested persons, women can promptly resort to medical services when solving their alcohol problems.

Does the attitude to alcohol in women change due to the spread of information about its harmful consequences for their children? Positive experience of this work is presented in the results of scientific research. Change the attitude of women to alcohol is possible. This requires appropriate training of various professional groups: doctors, nurses, social workers, as well as outreach work among the population: women of childbearing age, women from high-risk groups. It is important to organize various consultations, implement targeted training programs for high school students. A desirable audience for disseminating the necessary knowledge on the topic under discussion is husbands, since close people better than others can influence the way of life and the attitude of the woman to her health in general and to the use of alcohol in particular. Information is better perceived if it is presented in a positive way.

When referring to future mothers, you can use the following statements: "If you anticipate your child in advance, it will help you become a good mother" or "If you stop using alcohol, you will have more chances of having a healthy baby" or "You will feel you are better if you are always sober, and your child will feel good. " Do not recommend intimidating a future mother or using negative forms of persuasion such as: "Your drunkenness has already damaged your child" or "If you really love your child, you will not drink so much", "Continuing drunkenness destroys your health and will not allow your child to develop normally ".

Alcoholic fetal syndrome is a dose-dependent state. The more a pregnant woman consumes alcohol, the heavier the frustration of the fetus. However, harmless doses are not established in this case. The best way to prevent a complete refusal to drink alcohol during pregnancy and a few months before its onset.

Prevention of the syndrome of drug deprivation in newborns

If a woman during pregnancy was taking drugs, it is very likely that she will give birth to a child and signs of a neonatal syndrome of drug deprivation. The terms "AS of fetus and newborn," "fetal withdrawal syndrome" are also used to designate this state of the newborn. Prenatal developmental disorders in children who have suffered intrauterine effects of opioids are described. It is noted that the damage caused by drug use is not limited to the influence only on the person himself, but extends to his offspring. Typically, people who use drugs of reproductive age are a significant part of them are women.

Prevention of this condition in newborns includes a complex of medical and social activities. It is necessary to train the doctors of the women's consultation in the ability to identify and send pregnant women from the high-risk group to the narcologist for treatment in a timely manner. Women who use drugs usually start to smoke early, take alcohol, sometimes abuse various medications. It is necessary to take into account anamnestic information: full or incomplete family, education, social environment, data on narcological diseases in the family, etc. In case of suspicion that the pregnant woman is taking drugs and if it is impossible to get from her confirming this fact of birth, the content of narcotic substances and their metabolites. Positive results of the urine test are considered irrefutable evidence of drug taking by a woman, while a negative result does not completely exclude the possibility of diagnosing drug addiction and the fact of taking these drugs. In this case, it is important to clarify the narcotic and alcoholic anamnesis. Early prenatal care, timely detoxification and suggestion of a negative attitude towards drugs for the sake of the child's health with the involvement of an expert in narcology and psychotherapy can help prevent neonatal drug addiction syndrome of newborns.