Alcohol and pregnancy

OBGYN Shamsah Amersi, MD, explains the effects and risks that drinking alcohol during pregnancy can have on a baby
Effects of Alcohol During Pregnancy - Pregnancy Safety
KidsInTheHouse the Ultimate Parenting Resource
Kids in the House Tour

Alcohol and pregnancy

Comment
92
Like
92
Transcription: 
Alcohol and pregnancy do not mix. Nobody knows the effect of alcohol on pregnancy, so the best advice I would give you is to steer clear. If you have alcohol in the first trimester without realizing you were pregnant, especially large quantities of alcohol, this can result in miscarriage, still birth, and also long-term problems. The problems include cognitive development. Patients who have large amounts of alcohol can have a severe problem called fetal alcohol syndrome. This manifests as facial abnormalities, also central nervous system disorders in the baby that are life-long, which include mental retardation, learning difficulties, difficulties at paying attention, and life-long trauma to the baby. In the third trimester, many doctors recommend their patients to have a glass of wine to help them relax and to possibly stop themselves from going into labor; this is especially common in Europe. While we can't tell our patients that a glass of wine will actually do harm to your pregnancy, again my advice would be to avoid alcohol as there is no data that says how much is safe during your pregnancy.

OBGYN Shamsah Amersi, MD, explains the effects and risks that drinking alcohol during pregnancy can have on a baby

Transcript

Expert Bio

More from Expert

Shamsah Amersi, MD

Obstetrician & Gynecologist

Shamsah Amersi, MD is a preeminent Board Certified physician in Obstetrics and Gynecology. She received her undergraduate degree in psychobiology from UCLA, where she graduated summa cum laude, with Phi Beta Kappa membership. At the prestigious, UC San Francisco medical school, Dr. Amersi graduated with top honors, and was recognized as a distinguished member of alpha omega alpha, an honor society for the top 5% of all medical doctors.

Dr. Amersi has received numerous professional and academic awards, including the University of California Distinguished Scholar Award for four consecutive years, an endowed merit scholarship, and the UCLA Alumni Association Achievement Award for four consecutive years. Through her private practice in Santa Monica, CA, Dr. Amersi is the personal physician to several Hollywood A-list celebrities. Dr. Amersi has been in private practice as an obstetrician/gynecologist for over ten years. She specializes in natural child birth, offers VBACs to her patients, and focuses on natural conservative treatment options, minimally invasive surgery, and bioidentical hormone replacement. Her favorite part of her job is delivering babies and sharing this intimate journey with her patients. She provides comprehensive compassionate care for all phases of a woman's life from adolescence through menopause.  Her special interest in female sexuality, libido and the effects of childbirth on pelvic prolapse has led to Dr. Amersi's renowned expertise in these fields. She performs both surgical and nonsurgical treatments for pelvic prolapse and vaginal relaxation.

 

More Parenting Videos from Shamsah Amersi, MD >
Enter your email to
download & subscribe
to our newsletter