Women consuming alcohol before and during pregnancy can disrupt physical development, affecting the neurological growth and facial features of the fetus.
This can lead to a condition known as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), which includes symptoms that can impair a child’s cognitive abilities, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), learning difficulties, memory problems, and speech delays, particularly impacting the child’s facial appearance.
Dutch scientists categorized participants into three groups: those who abstained from alcohol completely before and during pregnancy, those who consumed alcohol up to three months before pregnancy and stopped upon conception, and those who drank alcohol throughout the entire pregnancy.
Changes in facial features in children aged 9 and 13 when mothers were exposed to alcohol. (Image: Xianjing Liu).
They utilized artificial intelligence algorithms and deep learning technology to analyze 200 facial characteristics of over 5,600 school-aged children and identified noticeable differences.
The results indicated that even if mothers consumed less than 12 grams of alcohol per week before and after pregnancy, it still affected the development of the child’s facial features.
The researchers reported: “We found a link between alcohol exposure before pregnancy and facial shape in children. This is the first time this relationship has been established with women consuming such low doses of alcohol.”
Characteristic features tend to diminish with age
By comparing data from mothers who drank alcohol before pregnancy but ceased immediately upon conception with those who continued to drink throughout pregnancy, researchers discovered differences in facial characteristics.
Additionally, they examined data from women who drank alcohol in the first three months but then stopped, and those who continued to drink, finding similar results.
This suggests that even drinking alcohol for three months prior to pregnancy can impact the child.
“Our research indicates that women should refrain from alcohol several months before conception and avoid it completely throughout pregnancy to prevent adverse health effects on their children,” the researchers stated.
Xianjing Liu, the study’s author, explained: “The characteristic features of children when mothers are exposed to alcohol include a short, slightly upturned nose, a forward-protruding chin, and sunken lower eyelids.”
The research team noted: “It is possible that as a child ages and experiences other environmental factors, these changes may diminish or be masked by normal growth.”
If facial signs tend to diminish, it does not imply that the effects of alcohol on the child’s health will disappear!
The researchers emphasized the importance of women abstaining from alcohol throughout pregnancy and even a few months prior if they wish to safeguard their children’s health.
This study was published in the journal Human Reproductive.
