Throughout pregnancy, your body performs extraordinary feats. It generates new cells, tissues, and organs nearly double its supply of blood and multiply life quicker than your fingernails can grow. This incredible effort is, well, taxing.
Being pregnant also comes with a slew of negative effects and a hormonal upheaval. Maintaining your pregnant glow and pleasure during this trip might be difficult, and it’s necessary to rest your feet now and again.
However, relaxing with a bottle or glass of wine (any wine including red wine) is one choice you should avoid when pregnant. Consuming any form of alcohol while pregnant may be very dangerous to your kid.
That is why Bornfertilelady’s topic for this article is; 5 benefits of red wine in pregnancy – safe or not? Yeah, safe or not? Is red wine safe for pregnant wine? Does red wine give any benefits to a pregnant woman or her baby?
5 benefits of red wine in pregnancy – safe or not? Yeah, you may be aware that there has been some contradicting information recently — so let’s take a look at whether red wine does really have any benefits during pregnancy.
This article also examines the potential dangers of consuming red wine at various stages of pregnancy. We also talk about whether taking or drinking red wine while pregnant is ever safe.
We will also take a look at the new, controversial research on “light” drinking — quotation marks intentional.
Alright, we move!
What exactly is red wine?
Red wine is an alcohol-based beverage produced by the fermentation of the juice of dark-colored grapes. Yeast transforms the glucose (sugar) in grapes into carbon dioxide and ethanol during fermentation.
The real hue of the wine is determined by its age. It may vary from vivid violet (characteristic of young wines) to brickish red (characteristic of older vintages) and brown (much older red wines).
So back to our main focus of this article; Is this red wine, an alcohol, safe for pregnancy? Hence the title of this article; 5 benefits of red wine in pregnancy – safe or not?
Moving on.
5 benefits of red wine in pregnancy – safe or not?
While it is typical medical advice for pregnant women to avoid alcohol, a few studies have revealed that it may bring some advantages – or at the very least not contribute to developmental difficulties in children.
Janni Niclasen, a researcher at the University of Copenhagen, conducted research on drinking throughout pregnancy and discovered enhanced emotional and behavioral development in 7-yr-old children born to moms who consumed little quantities of alcohol.
According to her results, these children outperformed those delivered to moms who did not consume alcohol at all when pregnant.
Researchers from the University College London likewise investigated the impact of alcohol on children born to moms who drank while pregnant.
Light drinking did not seem to have a harmful influence on the development of these 7-year-olds, according to their results.
The researchers did, however, point out that there is no precise quantity of wine (or other forms of alcohol) that’s also deemed “safe” during pregnancy.
Are you wondering if you should drink red wine while pregnant? Is it just a glass or bottle of wine to help you relax at the end of a tough day at work? If you check the internet for this, you will discover conflicting opinions.
Some argue that consuming up to 7 glasses of red wine each week will not damage the baby.
Others, on the contrary, argue that regardless of how very little you consume, you risk harming your baby’s pancreas. This may happen if you consume red wine while pregnant.
But I will say; why take chances?
Here are the 5 benefits of red wine in pregnancy – safe or not?;
- Red wine contains polyphenols which may boost gut flora, contributing to gut health.
- Red wine in moderation is also claimed to protect against arterial damage and excess weight gain.
- Red wine’s antioxidants aid to prevent heart disease by boosting the amount of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (the “good” cholesterol).
- Red wine has anti-inflammatory, lipid-regulating, and antioxidant properties.
- Procyanidins, a chemical found in red wine, helps to maintain healthy blood vessels.
Red wine taken in moderation may be harmless for a pregnant woman, but if she is pregnant, it may cause developmental defects in her kid. That is why physicians advise pregnant women to refrain from drinking alcohol.
Is it safe to drink red wine during pregnancy?
Are you wondering if you should drink red wine while pregnant? Is it just a glass or bottle of wine to help you relax at the end of a tough day at work? If you check the internet for this, you will discover conflicting opinions.
Some argue that consuming up to 7 glasses of red wine each week will not damage the baby.
Others, on the contrary, argue that regardless of how very little you consume, you risk harming your baby’s pancreas. This may happen if you consume red wine while pregnant.
But I will say; why take chances?
There is no safe quantity of red wine or any alcohol to drink during pregnancy, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
When someone consumes alcohol, a chemical enters their bloodstream. The alcohol enters the fetus via the umbilical cord in pregnant women. Because developing babies are unable to digest or metabolize the toxin, it presents several dangers.
Alcohol use is widely recognized to increase the likelihood of congenital defects, multiple miscarriages, and stillbirth. It may also result in fetal alcohol syndrome (FASD).
FASD is an umbrella term for a variety of long-term physical, behavioral, and cognitive problems. There are no therapies or cures for these impairments, which might be moderate or severe.
Fetal alcohol syndrome is the most severe type of FASD (FAS). FAS children may exhibit unusual facial traits, like a smooth slope between the upper lip and nose and a tiny head. They are often shorter and lighter than their contemporaries.
Other signs and symptoms include:
- Inappropriate social conduct
- Aggression
- Suicidal behavior
- Early death
- Sleep problems
- Sucking issues as a baby
- Inappropriate sexual behaviors
- Accidents
- Eyesight problems
- Hearing issues
- Heart problems
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Eating disorders
- Alcohol or drug misuse
- Employment problems
- Renal problems
- Poor sense of coordination
- Memory loss
- Hyperactive conduct
- Attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Focusing difficulties
- Learning difficulties
- Delays in speech and language
- Low IQ
- Inadequate cognitive and decision-making abilities
- Academic difficulties, especially in math
FAS is often related to binge or excessive drinking during pregnancy.
Pregnancy problems induced by alcohol intake are frequently related to heavy alcohol consumption. These consequences may not be as severe in a lady who drinks just sometimes.
However, since there is little evidence to support the use of alcohol (wine) during pregnancy, no quantity of wine is deemed safe during pregnancy. As a result, pregnant women are recommended to avoid it entirely.
We’re not saying these issues will necessarily occur, and we’re not trying to scare you. But there is increased risk, and we know that you want the absolute best for your baby.
It’s because of these well-established links that we advise total abstinence from alcohol during your pregnancy.
If you struggle with alcohol addiction, we also know abstaining is a whole different challenge.
Talk to your healthcare provider and let your friends and family in on your struggle if they’re positive and helpful. You can do this, and those around you want to help.
Red wine and pregnancy – Drinking red wine (alcohol) during different stages of pregnancy
During different stages of pregnancy, women may get inconsistent advice regarding the safety of consuming red wine (alcohol).
As a consequence, some feel that drinking red wine during the first trimester of pregnancy is the riskiest period. Others, on the other hand, have heard that only a reasonable quantity of wine may be healthy.
However, since the fetus’s brain is constantly evolving in the womb, researchers have yet to establish that any quantity of alcohol is safe at any stage during pregnancy.
This covers the first trimester, during which women may be unaware that they have become pregnant.
Alcohol (red wine) use during the first three months of pregnancy might result in the baby having atypical facial characteristics.
Drinking alcohol may create complications like the low weight of the baby at birth and behavioral abnormalities at any stage during pregnancy.
According to the parent and baby advocacy organization March of Dimes, every pregnancy is unique. Some pregnant women who consume red wine have healthy infants.
Other pregnant women who consume just a tiny quantity of alcohol, have children with major health issues.
The only approach to be certain is to abstain from alcohol while attempting to conceive and during pregnancy.
How much red wine is safe during pregnancy?
Are you wondering if you should drink red wine while pregnant? Is it just a glass or bottle of wine to help you relax at the end of a tough day at work? If you check the internet for this, you will discover conflicting opinions.
Some argue that consuming up to 7 glasses of red wine each week will not damage the baby.
Others, on the contrary, argue that regardless of how very little you consume, you risk harming your baby’s pancreas. This may happen if you consume red wine while pregnant.
But I will say; why take chances?
There is no safe quantity of red wine or any alcohol to drink during pregnancy, as per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Experts are unsure how much alcohol might be harmful. The most typical advice is to refrain from it entirely.
Tips to avoid red wine (alcohol) while pregnant
It might be tough to quit drinking red wine when pregnant, especially if you really like drinking it. The March of Dimes recommends avoiding alcohol (red wine) by:
Avoid alcohol-related settings and activities if it will be tough not to drink there, substitute fruit juice for alcoholic beverages, and utilize a cocktail umbrella or fun straw.
Removing any alcohol from the house and enlisting the help of friends and relatives
Before trying to conceive, women hoping to get pregnant should begin abstaining from alcohol. Alcohol may interfere with fertility and damage the baby as soon as pregnancy begins. It is better to cultivate the habit of avoiding alcohol early on so that avoiding red wine throughout pregnancy becomes simpler.
Anyone who needs assistance in quitting drinking should see their doctor or join a local Alcoholics Anonymous support group.
The guidelines concerning red wine (alcohol) stills remain in effect
Regardless of what your second cousin twice removed brother-in-law has a buddy living in Paris tells you, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists warns that no quantity of alcohol is safe for pregnant women.
Red wine may seem to be a more refined option than a beer or a slug of tequila, but all alcohol carries the same chemical.
Red wine and other types of alcohol may give you a high (or more) since they consist of ethyl alcohol or ethanol, which is a poison to your body — particularly your young kid.
Yes, European medical groups concur. Alcohol is on the list of dangerous medications that pregnant women must avoid in nations such as the United Kingdom, Denmark, Norway, and Italy.
Even in France, where ladies are said to munch baguettes and drink wine while cycling down the Seine, health promotions cry, “Zero alcohol during pregnancy.”
In fact, every alcohol in that nation must have a label advising pregnant women to abstain completely.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), you should avoid alcohol if you:
- You’re expecting a child.
- you believe you may be pregnant
- You’re attempting to conceive.
During pregnancy, women should avoid consuming red wine. At this time, there is currently no safe amount of alcohol intake.
Although some pregnant women who drink have healthy infants, others (including you) who consume just a modest quantity may have pregnancy issues that damage the baby.
Any time throughout the pregnancy, damage may occur, and all forms of alcohol provide the same danger. The only approach to ensure your safety and that of the baby is to abstain from alcohol while attempting to conceive and during pregnancy.
In fact, the (blunt) bottom line is that FASD doesn’t always occur when alcohol is consumed during pregnancy. But FASD has one cause: alcohol consumption during pregnancy.
Avoid drinking entirely and you avoid the risk of FASD, no matter how great or small that risk may be.
Women may find guidance online and from friends and family to prevent drinking red wine while pregnant. Anyone concerned about their alcohol use may get medical counsel from a doctor.
The advantages of swapping your glass or bottle of red wine for something like a delectable non-alcoholic lime drink and lychee mocktail certainly outweigh the disadvantages.
We all need to decompress at the end of a hard day. Replace your evening glass of red wine with a cool glass of coconut water or antioxidant-rich grape juice.
Add an herbal tea and a warm bath to help you relax, and remember that these days will go by fast — and you’ll be able to enjoy your favorites again before you know it.
All right, guys, that is it for now for the 5 benefits of red wine in pregnancy – safe or not? I hope Bornfertilelady answered any questions you had concerning the 5 benefits of red wine in pregnancy – safe or not?
And always remember that Bornfertilelady is one of the best health sites out there that genuinely care for expecting parents, and you can find valuable information on all things about prenatal care on this site.
It is founded by a pregnancy expert and a mother of two, and the platform offers resources on prenatal nutrition, including information on the best pregnancy vitamins and insightful tips on how to have a healthier lifestyle as a mom (pregnant and delivered).
