It's the season to be safe and sensible

It's December and Christmas is in the air! As a child, when I thought of Christmas, apart from the birth of Jesus, I thought of Santa Claus and presents. As a teenager and young adult, while it was nice to get presents, what really counted were the parties.

For many young people, parties are the most important part of the Christmas season. However, these festivities are not necessarily risk-free. Specifically, there are the dangers of alcohol excess. Although men tend to abuse substances such as alcohol more than women, women are more susceptible to the negative effects of alcohol on their health and mental state. They are more likely to have psychiatric and serious medical illnesses because of alcohol misuse. A woman who is a heavy user of alcohol is more likely to die earlier than a man who is a heavy user.

It can also affect her ability to reproduce, as well as damage her unborn child. It can cause her not to have periods, not to ovulate and have menopause earlier than normal. Alcohol in pregnancy can cause the baby to have a small head, abnormalities of its face, be mentally retarded, have problems with behaviour and can also lead to miscarriages and stillbirth.

Have fun but be safe

How can young women protect themselves and have a safe but fun Christmas? First, when travelling to and from parties, there are a number of factors for a woman to consider. Who will be driving and who will be taking her home? She should ensure that there is a designated driver among her group who will not be consuming alcohol. If she is driving alone, she should plan to limit her intake to about one drink or avoid alcohol altogether. Given the times, it might be helpful for her to arrange to be followed home by friends.

She should make her plans before she arrives at the party because if she engages in alcohol consumption, her judgement may be impaired. She should ensure that she shares her plans with someone she trusts such as her parents or a friend. Drinking and driving is not the only risky behaviour, someone under the influence of alcohol is more likely to have unprotected sex, putting herself at risk for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, not to mention unwanted pregnancy.

However, a woman is also at a higher risk of date rape or being sexually assaulted by someone she knows if she is under the influence of alcohol. Limiting alcohol intake will improve her decision-making capabilities and reduce her risk. She should avoid lonely situations with unfamiliar men. Women should look out for each other. Certainly, have fun this Christmas but be sensible and be safe!

Dr Monique Rainford is a consulting obstetrician and gynaecologist; email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com.