What factors can affect the healthy growth of an unborn infant?
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Other dietary and behavioral factors that may impact the proper growth and development of an unborn infant include caffeine, alcohol, smoking, and exercise. It should be understood that throughout pregnancy, the unborn infant is vulnerable to the effects of nutritional deficiency and toxicity as well as the impact of harmful substances. However, this is especially true during the embryonic period. Proper nutritional, behavioral and environmental care should be taken throughout pregnancy to increase the likelihood of a healthy offspring. |
Is smoking an issue during pregnancy?
There may not be a greater common voluntary insult upon human health than cigarette smoke, which certainly holds true for unborn infants, although it is an involuntary insult to them. Pregnant mothers who smoke are at greater risk of delivering low birth weight and premature infants. Some research suggests that these infants are also more prone to childhood cancers and sudden infant death. A pregnant female’s body should be a smoke-free environment.
What impact does alcohol have on a pregnancy?
The effects of abusive alcohol consumption during pregnancy are substantial. Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is a group of abnormal characteristics common to children born to mothers who drank too much during pregnancy. These characteristics include low birth weight, physical deformities, and poor mental development. It is estimated that more than 7,500 infants are born in the United States each year with FAS, while another 30,000 to 40,000 show milder signs of FAS. Although many physicians believe that there may be a safe level of alcohol consumption during pregnancy (e.g., a glass of wine with dinner occasionally), it is not clear at this time where the threshold lies. It is therefore difficult to make general recommendations. Because of this difficulty it seems much more logical for most women to abstain completely from alcohol consumption during pregnancy.
Is caffeine a problem during pregnancy?
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Caffeine consumption during pregnancy and its potential effect upon the unborn infant has raised concern over the past couple of decades. Researchers have reported that there is probably a greater risk of spontaneous fetal abortion and low birth weight in pregnant women consuming the caffeine equivalent of greater than twelve cups of coffee per day. Many scientists believe that caffeine has a safety threshold, much like alcohol, and that daily caffeine intake below the threshold is not detrimental. However, many women choose to abstain completely from caffeine and caffeinelike substances (theophylline in tea and theobromine in chocolate) during pregnancy until more is known in this area. |
Should pregnant women exercise during pregnancy?
Historically, many women have given up activity during pregnancy fearing adverse effects upon the growth and development of the fetus. However, times have changed, and regular exercise does not seem to affect growth or development of the unborn infant. In fact, newer research suggests that regular exercise may provide some benefits at delivery, such as a shorter delivery time and perceived discomfort and pain. Some caution should be applied, however, to the type of activity a pregnant woman chooses. Contact sports and movements involving rapid directional changes and jarring motions should be avoided. Exercise such as low impact aerobics, walking, and swimming is considered safe during pregnancy. However, a female must pay particular attention to her energy consumption and monitor her body weight and hydration status.
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