Alcohol during Pregnancy

New research points to the possibility that a baby's exposure to alcohol during pregnancy may lead to alcohol abuse later in life.

The latest issue of Behaviorial Science (December 2007) addresses research on alcohol use during pregnancy and its effects on the growing baby.

Results showed that exposure to alcohol during pregnancy significantly increased the infants' preference for alcohol.

So far the research that has been conducted has been on rats, however one can assume that humans may indeed react in similar ways. An interesting related study also shows that when mother rats consumed a high fat diet, their young also preferred those high fat foods after they were born, as compared to those who were fed a normal diet.

Clearly early exposure to nutrition and chemicals does affect our growing babies. All the more reason to avoid unsafe substances as well as have a healthy pregnancy diet.

Did you notice that what you ate during pregnancy was also something your baby preferred to eat later? Share your story with us on the forum.

Brenda