Alcohol Use During Pregnancy Related to Changes in a Child's Face: Study

The consumption of alcohol has a detrimental effect on the human body in some way, as has been shown by prior research studies. 

According to the CDC, excessive alcohol use can lead to the development of chronic diseases and other serious problems, including high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, liver disease, and digestive problems. However, new research has suggested that even a small amount of alcohol during pregnancy has been linked to permanent changes in a child's facial features and possibly their cognitive abilities too.

According to a report by Science Alert, Dutch researchers used 3D imagery and a deep learning algorithm to examine 200 facial characteristics in the faces of more than 5,600 school-aged youngsters. They discovered disparities between the children of moms who used alcohol during pregnancy and those whose mothers did not.

The study that analysed the association between prenatal alcohol exposure and children's facial shape and was published in the Oxford Academic Journal found that consuming just 12 grammes of alcohol per week, or one standard drink, was associated with long-term changes in the child's face.

According to the conclusive statement by the researchers, the results of this study suggest that low-to-moderate maternal alcohol consumption up to three months before and during pregnancy is associated with the facial appearance of children.

"The association with the facial morphology of the offspring was attenuated with increasing age. Our results imply that facial morphology, as quantified by the approach we proposed here, can be used as a biomarker in further investigations."

"Our study suggests that women who are pregnant or want to become pregnant soon should quit drinking several months before conception and completely during pregnancy to avoid adverse health outcomes in the offspring," the researchers wrote.