Slovenian health study highlights risks of fetal alcohol exposure

On International Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Day, medical experts are emphasizing that there is no safe amount of alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Alcohol acts as a teratogen, crossing the placenta to the fetus and potentially causing developmental abnormalities in the heart, skeleton, and kidneys, as well as brain damage.

While some physical defects may be visible at birth, experts warn that cognitive, learning, behavioral, and functional issues may only emerge later in life. Severe consequences can also include miscarriage and stillbirth.

A first national study in Slovenia regarding alcohol and drug use among pregnant women revealed that between 5% and 11% of newborns were exposed to alcohol. While 47% of women reported drinking alcohol before conception, this number typically drops once pregnancy is confirmed. Self-reported data indicated that 7.4% of women consumed alcohol in the first trimester and 3.8% from the fourth month onwards. However, researchers noted that actual exposure is likely higher than self-reported figures, as they corroborated findings by analyzing meconium samples from newborns.