New study links father's drinking to birth defects (babies, pregnancy, parent)

[silibran]

https://www.sciencedaily.com/release...1003074846.htm

Apparently a father's drinking months before conception is associated with a baby's birth defects, particularly heart defects.

[ClaraC]

Well that study begs two questions.

How many children are conceived because a couple is drinking?

And how in the world does a man drinking during the first trimester of a pregnancy of his partner affect the health of a baby? I would be inclined to reverse cause and affect here, and say that men who are alcoholics father disproportionate offspring who suffer heart disease. It's hard to imagine how a man drinking after he's fathered his child could possibly affect the baby the mother is already carrying otherwise.

[NDak15]

So his tadpoles get drunk too? I don't believe this for a second. Not to mention a father drinking during the first trimester is not going to cause birth defects.

[ClaraC]

Originally Posted by NDak15

So his tadpoles get drunk too? I don't believe this for a second. Not to mention a father drinking during the first trimester is not going to cause birth defects.

I think they've got cause and affect mixed up.

It's highly likely that men who have the alcohol gene also are more likely to have a heart defect gene.

It's impossible to believe that a man drinking after the conception of his child causes the child to have any health condition whatsoever.

Honestly, sometimes. Do researchers not glance at their own publication and say well, it seems that just can't really be the cause and affect?

[Nov3]

Originally Posted by ClaraC

I think they've got cause and affect mixed up.

It's highly likely that men who have the alcohol gene also are more likely to have a heart defect gene.

It's impossible to believe that a man drinking after the conception of his child causes the child to have any health condition whatsoever.

Honestly, sometimes. Do researchers not glance at their own publication and say well, it seems that just can't really be the cause and affect?

I think the researchers might be a bit tipsy!

[Bridge781]

Hard to believe or trust this. Some mothers give birth to perfectly healthy babies while doing hardcore drugs. Not saying I agree by any means but this just seems like the type of article that will just cause unnecessary anxiety. Some women even drink while pregnant and things turn out ok.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

Drinking "months before conception" is not the same as drinking during the first trimester that so many of you are wanting to defend.

Alcohol is a poison, so it isn't out of the possibility that it would adversely affect sperm.