Many pregnant women are not aware of the complications that are involved with pregnancy. The greater majority of young women see pregnancy as a way of bringing a life into the world but do not use precaution in their dietary habits to prevent the destruction or inhibition of such a life. Most pregnant women continue on their drinking and drug abuse binge right throughout their pregnancy. They do not think ahead to the inexplicable damage that it could do to their fetus. What they do not know is that when a woman drinks while pregnant it could do damage, and pose problems not only to herself, but to the fetus that she is carrying. The problem? FAS, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. According to many physicians it is the leading cause of birth defects and developmental disabilities in the United States today. Douglas A. Milligan states that, "FAS is the single greatest cause of mental retardation in the U.S. today". ( Seachrist, p. 314) Fetal Alcohol Syndrome was first named and treated and found in the late 1960's. This condition results from the toxic effect of alcohol and its chemical factors on the developing fetus and its brain. The alcohol enters the bloodstream though the placenta and then the damage begins to occur. FAS consists of a characteristic pattern of abnormalities resulting from the exposure that the fetus has had with alcohol during early development. There have been many reports linking alcohol use and fetal deficiencies in growth that emerged from France in the late 1950's. Not until the 1960's was the correlation made between the number of defects and the increasing amount of babies born with the syndrome. The term Fetal Alcohol Syndrome was coined to describe the pattern of the abnormalities found in some children born to alcoholic women. It clearly was very noticeable and distinctive in the recognition of itself and was distinct from all other patterns of malformation in the fetus; there was a significant association found between the alcohol consumption rates during pregnancy and a lower general cognitive index of these children. Being further studied in the 1970's under the heading as a birth defect that occurs, FAS was one of the most common causes of birth defects. Researchers said that it occurred in almost 1 of every 500 to 1 in every thousand births.( Seachrist, p. 314) There is a major thing that causes difficulty in the diagnos...
... middle of paper ...
...cose from mother to fetus. Several studies have shown that with the human placental tissue alcohol directly obstructs the transport of both these substances. These are two essential substances that, through research with rat embryos, have proven that the depravity of such causes malformations of fetal tissue's energy sources. The materials needed for cell proliferation, growth, and differentiation are also affected in this. The supplemental glucose thus becomes only minimally effective because of the lack of diminution of fetal growth retardation. (Michaelis and Michaelis, p. 21) Included within the nutritional deficiencies that occur are the loss of vitamins B6 and A. There is noted decrease in the transfer of B6 from an alcoholic mother to her fetus through the placenta. This vitamin is especially important in the development of the fetus because it functions as protein metabolism. There exists also a possible defect in the metabolism of folic acid. The lack of which during the gestation period produces malformations in the fetus. The last vitamin deficiency that I will note revolves around the receiving of vitamin A from the alcoholic mother to the fetus via the placenta.
Alcohol Drinking has always been a problem for teenagers, particularly for the past few years. Research shows that over 60% of high school seniors drink at least once a week, although the law does not make drinking legal until age 21. In reality, kids are drinking at increasingly younger ages. The question is why do teens use alcohol when they know it's forbidden? Students give various reasons; with most saying they drink for enjoyment, to be accepted by friends, to forget problems, and to reduce
Interactions of Alcohol with Drug Therapy Ethanol, ethylic alcohol or simply alcohol is an organic substance with one or more hydroxil groups (-OH) [1]. For instance, it is used as a pharmaceutical compounds, in alcoholic beverages, as a dehydrating agent in labs and industries or as an antiseptic agent. Generally, ethanol is a CNS (central nervous system) depressant with anesthetic properties causing cognitive and motor damage at relatively low doses. Nevertheless ethanol in high doses can induce
Alcoholism; Powerless over Alcohol Brendan Behan, an Irish poet and writer, stated, “One drink is too many for me and a thousand not enough.” For alcoholics, it is hard to consume one alcoholic beverage and after drinking ten beverages, they feel as though it is not enough and should continue drinking. This is a situation that occurs too often and is a real struggle to overcome. In fact, variations of Behan’s quote have been used in alcohol recovery programs worldwide. But why must some alcoholics
particularly binge drinking is the most serious problem affecting social life, academic life, and health on college campuses today. The journal article pertaining to this issue, How Harvard’s College Alcohol Study Can Help Your Campus Design a Campaign Against Student Alcohol Abuse (CAS: Campus Alcohol Study for short), focuses more heavily on binge drinking and prevention than it does on the Greek system itself. The authors, Wechsler, Nelson, and Weitzman, contend that binge drinking is a nationally
life support before dying. Giovanni escaped with his leg broken in three places, but suffered a heart attack that kept him in the hospital for a month. Meyers’ blood alcohol was tested at .2, double the legal limit for driving while intoxicated. This was not the first time he would face charges for driving under the influence of alcohol, he has had his license suspended 26 times and has drunk driving convictions dating back to 1967. Although Meyers kept driving without a license, he never spent one
modern world. Alcohol creates freedom and vulnerability for individuals oppressed by the dynamics and speed of everyday life especially in very developed ‘high class’ nations. Alcohol particularly creates this freedom for individuals in disenfranchised populations, where expectations from a foreign “sophisticated” ideology overwhelm the people of the once free nations. And because alcohol creates a free and youthful state of mind, it becomes fetishized. In order for one to defetishize alcohol, and drinking
products or the ways products are used; in addition, drinking age is similar to marijuana. The reason is when the eighteen have been given a permission to buy alcohol; they will be responsible for that and it’s easier for government to control alcohol consumption. It also helps reduce the number of crimes committed about under age purchasing alcohol. If society and government still worry about the rising of uncontrollable drunk driving or impropriate behavior under the influence of alcoholic drinks, instead
Alcohol Advertising Millions of Americans suffers from the effects of alcohol and drug abuse. It can shatter lives, brake families, and to rob people of their dreams for the future. Once alcoholism or drug addiction begins, an individual's problems not only don't go away, but their mental well being as well as physical ability continues to diminish from the immediate and long-term adverse effects from the drugs and alcohol abuse. Is it really true that advertising increases alcohol consumption
Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant it has a huge impact on the lives of a drinker . In small quantities, alcohol results in a mild euphoria and usually removes inhibitions, and is relatively harmless. However, when used in excess, it has the power to change many lives in many ways. Alcohol causes a lot of trouble in a lot of peoples lives not just in the drinkers life. . Some ways it effects peoples lives include alcohol poisoning and alcohol-related traffic fatalities by individuals
The abuse of substances such as alcohol and other harmful drugs (perhaps even a vicious combination composed of a number of the many possible constituents) is an aspect of life that arises simply from the manifestation of human nature itself—an incredibly profound and complex calamity which stems from this vague, yet familiar, source. It is a sword with many edges and a lust for its victims, and if taken to the extents of excess, will function as an inescapable common denominator for the division
Alcohol Abuse is part of disorder that affects many people throughout the world. Many are aware of the issues the disorder can bring not just on the victim, but also to the people that surround the person with the psychological problem. There are different areas that can be discussed in regards to alcoholism. According to Coon & Mitterer (2013), a substance abuse disorder is when there is an abuse or dependence on a psychoactive drug. Alcohol is a substance that can become abusive and bring negative
Alcohol and Nutrition Nutrition is a course that has two purposes: to provide energy and to maintain body structure and function. Food supplies energy and provides the building blocks needed to replace worn or damaged cells and the nutritional components needed for body function. Alcoholics often eat poorly, limiting their supply of essential nutrients and affecting both energy supply and structure maintenance. Once ingested, food must be digested so it is available for energy and maintenance of
The topic I am going to be talking about in my essay is alcohol. Otherwise, drinking can cause many problems more than you think. It can happen with emotions, physically, mentally, and other topics etc. So I am going to be explaining what alcohol do to you with the information I have. First, I am going to be explaining about how it affects your body. When you drink lots of alcohol and problems are going to start happening to the insides while you are having your time and just keep
Alcohol is a beverage that contains a psychoactive drug ethanol. Many people consider drinking as a social culture. People indulge in social drinking to gain acceptance from others. Slowly and gradually many of these people become alcoholics. It has great potential to abuse. This is especially common among teenagers to relieve themselves of tensions and worries. This substance abuse doesn't actually relieve them from stress but aggregates their depression causing themselves feelings of guilt, remorse
The damages of ethyl alcohol abuse to the renal apparatus. The abuse of alcohol can lead to different dysfunctions in the body. In this essay, I am going to focus on the effects on the kidneys that the overconsumption of alcohol can cause. Throughout the essay, I am going to identify and discuss the different effects that alcohol abuse can cause to the renal apparatus. In this essay, I am going to identify the different changes that can happen at different levels. Ethanol can affect the regulation