ALCOHOL USE DURING PREGNANCY

Abstract

Slovenia ranks among the top European countries in terms of the amount of alcohol consumed. Drinking alcoholic beverages is a part of Slovenian culture, a social bond, an indispensable component of social events and celebrations. Alcohol consumption often exceeds the limit of less risky drinking and thus represents a significant risk of health problems and the well-being of the individual, his family and the immediate and wider surroundings. Ethanol is intoxicating, harmful and addictive, and it is increasingly consumed by young adults (25-34 years old), who also have the highest birth rate. Ethanol consumption during pregnancy has a harmful effect on the baby and can cause serious and irreversible consequences known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. We do not know the safe amount of alcoholic beverages and the period during pregnancy when the consumption of alcohol would not pose a risk to the child, so in Slovenia it is recommended that pregnant women completely refrain from consuming alcoholic beverages.

Keywords

• alcoholic beverage
• pregnancy
• breastfeeding
• child disease