Using the words "directly toxic" in the question may force an answer of "no" since there is no proof or statistics showing that pregnant women drinking alcohol is killing or otherwise poisoning the fetus.
We don't know "is alcohol directly toxic to the fetus when it crosses the placenta" since we don't do such experiments on babies or pregnant women. We do know that babies born to women who are alcoholic tend to have a lower birth weight and may more likely to have problems after being born and we do have test results from animal studies. But calling it "directly toxic" means much more than this.
go to mayoclinic look up fetal alcohol syndrome
Look up Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.... alcohol can have devastating effects on an unborn child.....don't chance it.
Addiction, or ignorance of the effects on the fetus, or both.
the first trimester
You should never drink any amount of alcohol during pregnancy. There is research showing that very small amounts can have an effect on a fetus and cause birth defects. Drinking any amount of alcohol can cause FAS (fetal alcohol syndrome).
Drinking alcohol when pregnant can cause harm to the unborn fetus and is therefore classed as a poison during pregnancy. The alcohol can cause the fetus to be deprived of oxygen and nutrition; it could also cause fetal alcohol syndrome after birth, which can lead to mental and physical deformities.
Fetal alcohol syndrome. This includes decreased development of the fetus, intra-uterine growth retardation, mental retardation.
From conception to birth.
There are no effects on the liver unless a person abuses alcohol over a period of many years or decades. However, alcohol abuse can lead to cirrhosis, or permanent scarring of the liver, and many other dangerous diseases.
Yes, alcohol can cross the placenta from the mother's bloodstream to the fetus. This can have harmful effects on the developing baby's growth and development, leading to a condition known as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). It is important for pregnant women to avoid consuming alcohol to protect the health of their baby.
Not can be. It IS.
Alcohol consumption anytime in a pregnancy is dangerous to the fetus