I am Caucasian and my Korean husband shows classic signs of Asian flush. I would like to know if there are any studies or information regarding the effects of maternal drinking in unborn children who may have inherited the gene. Although I have never drank during pregnancy due to the already known effects of alcohol on fetuses, I am constantly razzed by people who say one glass of wine won't hurt the baby. Maybe for most babies a single beer doesn't mean much, but if my child has the gene and I drink, it seems logical the alcohol will cross the placenta and my baby could experience low blood pressure and increased heart rate, neither of which sound like a good idea. What about the effects of acetaldehyde on developing organ systems? Having a known toxin floating around in my baby's body seems pretty alarming. I've read that acetaldehyde is a known carcinogen, and people with Asian flush are at risk for certain digestive cancers, so are mothers who drink durig pregnancy increasing their children's risk for cancer before they are even born? (gee, thanks mom!)
Anyway, jusy wondering if anyone out there has seen any articles or studies, because next time I tell one of my friends to stuff it when they insist I take a drink, I'd love to have a medical study in my back pocket to shut them up.