Moderate and high doses of alcohol at an early pregnancy can damage the placenta - the organ that provides nutrition to the developing fetus.

To this conclusion came the Manchester researchers.

In the course of their laboratory experiments, scientists have found that amounts of alcohol corresponding to moderate consumption of alcoholic beverages inhibit the growth of placenta cells.

At the same time, low concentrations, according to the researchers, did not have a damaging effect. Scientists mean by moderate consumption of alcohol 2-3 drinks a day, and the norm of 4 to 6 drinks they consider a large.

Scientists also came to the conclusion that large doses of alcohol can reduce the amount of taurine amino acid that penetrates the placenta to the fetus. They announced this in a new edition of the online edition of PLoS One.

Taurine is an amino acid vital for the development of the brain and body of a child. The result of the study may explain the cause of a number of mental and behavioral problems in children born to alcoholic mothers.

"The growth of the placenta is reduced compared to the control group that was not exposed to alcohol. This suggests the possibility of long-term problems associated with the production of nutrients by the fetus that depends on the placenta until the end of pregnancy, "explained the author of the study, Sylvia Lui, an employee of the Tommy's Maternal and Fetal Health Research Center at Manchester University.

John Aplin, a professor of reproductive biomedicine at the same center, added: "This study suggests that women who intend to become pregnant should not drink at all. Alcohol-related damage can occur at the earliest stages of pregnancy - perhaps even before a woman learns of her situation ".

Another expert, Jane Brewin, executive director of the research center, agrees with the scientists: "It often takes several weeks before a woman learns of her pregnancy. As the study shows, it is these few weeks that can be of great importance for fetal development. Many pregnancies are not planned, but those who plan to replenish the family should take into account the danger of drinking alcohol during this period ".

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