Well, nay-sayers, prepare to be proven wrong. All of you snarky mamas who glared at me nursing my 3 1/2-year-old on the NYC subway, prepare to be amazed. And to all of my family and friends who wanted to chastise me about nursing a walking, talking, thinking, laughing little man named Fred, thanks for holding your tongues. Because we did it.
What's in this article? Drinking alcohol during her pregnancy can cause a woman's baby to be born with birth defects and developmental disabilities. In fact, alcohol (beer, wine, or hard liquor) is the leading cause of preventable birth defects and developmental disabilities in the United States.
Birth defects can be caused by genetic factors and by a variety of environmental injuries such as infection, radiation, and drug exposure during pregnancy. The majority of birth defects, however, are without detectable cause.About 20 percent of birth defects are caused by genetic or hereditary factors.arents of a child with a birth defect should schedule several long discussions with the childâs doctor at times when both parents can be present. The parents and doctor should thoroughly discuss possible causes, testing, treatment, and referrals to specialists and support groups.