Women who drink alcohol during pregnancy are 19% more likely to have an abortion. This was stated by a study by Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. According to the researchers, it takes less than 5 drinks a week to reach that level of risk, which increases by 6% with every drink.

More than half of US women drank in the early stages of pregnancy when they didn't know they were pregnant. It was believed that the consumption of alcohol during pregnancy increased the oxidative stress of the fetus, causing cellular damage. According to the researchers, this was the cause of spontaneous abortions related to drinking during gestation. The study in question gives another explanation instead.

The author of the study reviewed the studies published between 1970 and 2019 regarding alcohol abortions. Of these, he selected 24 that met the criteria for returning to the study in question. Inside there were data of more than 231,000 pregnant women.

The new analyzes showed a connection between the percentage of risk, the amount of alcohol consumed, the period in which it was consumed. Most women stop consuming alcohol when they find out they are pregnant. How does this affect pregnancy and fetal development? From what emerges, the first few weeks is when alcohol consumption is more dangerous. Just when so many women don't know they are pregnant and therefore continue to drink. This could explain part of the spontaneous abortions that remain without apparent explanation.

Source: mc.vanderbilt.edu