25 November 2023 , 11:30
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While pregnant women know to avoid alcohol when they're having a baby, it seems as if men who thought they could get away with a few drinks are no longer in the clear.
This is because one study has proven that dad-to-be's alcohol consumtion can have a negative effect on their unborn child, especially if they are drinking excessively before their partner gets pregnant.
According to scientists in the US, excessive drinking in the months prior to a woman conceiving, can in turn, harm the baby's development and too much alcohol can lead to foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD).
This is when the growth of the babies' facial features, such as the eyes, head, mouth and jaw are affected. And even more concerningly, the growth of the brain.
This can happen when a baby is exposed to alcohol before birth, and FADS can also have effects on the whole of the child's life. Despite FADS being connected with drinking while pregnant for women, it's now been found that men can trigger the disorder too and too much booze can have a detrimental impact on unborn babies, LadBible reports.
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"When it was the dad drinking, we saw a profound shift in the organisation of the face. Chronic male alcohol exposure (defined as consuming more than five drinks per day in a four-hour window) could drive core foetal alcohol syndrome birth defects," explained Professor Michael Holding, a developmental physiologist from Texas A&M University
The study also shows that babies of men who drank were found to have " smaller eyes, squished faces and smaller mouths" which could lead to the child's adult teeth becoming crowded. Their ears were also found "further down their heads". Babies were also lighter in some cases, and were also "more at risk of developing microcephaly" which means the head and brain may be underdeveloped.
According to the NHS, the impact of women drinking while pregnant can be life-threatening. Their website stated: "When you drink, alcohol passes from your blood through the placenta to your baby and can seriously affect its development. Your baby does not have a fully developed liver and cannot process alcohol. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage, premature birth and your baby having a low birth weight. It can also affect your baby after they're born."