Whether it’s birthdays, anniversaries or the holiday season, alcohol has been a staple in most celebrations. But whatever the occasion, doctors advise women to consume alcohol moderately.

While some can drink responsibly, others can be prone to addiction and self-control can become an issue, leading to uncontrollable cravings to drink and binge. Dr. Jonathan Eli-Phillips, an OB-GYN, said, “While social drinking is accepted in our society, there is a stigma about those, especially women, who become dependent on alcohol.”

Another OB-GYN, Dr. Rebecca Craig, commented that alcohol is a mood-altering substance that affects women more than men. “It takes less alcohol for a woman to become intoxicated than for most men, even if their weight is the same. Females tend to develop an addiction more quickly also, due to the way their bodies process alcohol,” she added.

Dr. Craig also warned that “Women who drink more than two drinks per day experience serious health effects, such as cirrhosis of the liver, after a shorter history of drinking than men.” Moreover, she added that women should not take prescription drugs and drink alcohol altogether, which can be a fatal combination.

On the subject of habitual drinking, Dr. Eli-Phillips cautioned women that “This type of alcohol consumption leads to more gynecological problems than light or moderate drinkers. Habitual drinking is also associated with infertility, miscarriages, stillbirths or low birth weights and fetal alcohol syndrome in infants.” That’s why pregnant women and those with gynecological problems should as much as possible steer clear from too much alcohol.

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