Alcohol consumption during pregnancy might cause physical, cognitive, and behavioural complications, referred to as fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, in exposed neonates. Unfortunately, this practice might be difficult to follow for those who abuse alcohol, or social drinkers who crave the taste of alcohol when they become pregnant. There are currently no studies directly evaluating the safety of non-alcoholic beverages in pregnancy. However, there are data indicating that such beverages might contain higher-than-expected amounts of ethanol. In a study by Motherisk, 13 of the 45 analyzed beverages (29%) contained ethanol levels that were higher than what was declared on the label. Therefore, complete abstinence from these products is recommended to eliminate any risk of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.

• This tool can help you check your drinking and can give advice.
• It can help to write a list of the questions you want answered and take it to your appointment.
• Drinking alcohol while pregnant is a leading cause of birth defects in a fetus.
• Women who need help to stop drinking alcohol can talk to their health care provider about treatment options.
• People who are nursing can speak with a healthcare professional about how much alcohol is safe to drink.
• Although some of the lifelong effects of FASD can be recognized early, other issues become apparent later in life.

Prenatal Alcohol Exposure…

• Marjorie Greenfield, MD, professor of obstetrics and gynecology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine; author, The Working Woman’s Pregnancy Book.
• Here are some questions you may have about alcohol and drinking while you are pregnant.
• However, they should not worry unnecessarily, as the risks of their baby being affected are likely to be low.
• Alcohol can cause problems for the baby throughout pregnancy, including before a person knows they are pregnant.

If you have difficulty stopping drinking, talk to a midwife, doctor or pharmacist. The more alcohol you drink during pregnancy, the greater the chance of problems in your baby. There’s no known safe amount of alcohol to drink during pregnancy, and there’s no type of alcohol that is safe. Other doctors feel that pregnant women shouldn’t worry about having a small drink every once in a while. It’s also difficult to predict the impact of drinking on any given pregnancy because some women have higher levels of the enzyme that breaks down alcohol. Although some of the lifelong effects of FASD can be recognized early, other issues become apparent later in life.

What Are the Types of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders?

If you would like to talk to someone about your drinking, you can speak to your midwife, obstetrician, practice nurse, GP or health visitor. Once they know how you are feeling and why https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/alcoholic-liver-disease-symptom-and-treatment/ you are drinking, the person you tell will be in a better position to offer you the right help and information. When you drink, alcohol passes from your blood through the placenta to your baby and can seriously affect its development. Healthcare professionals or health systems can post the article on their patient resources web or blog pages. Ultimately, it’s up to each mom-to-be to consult with their doctor and decide if they’ll have the occasional small drink.

Getting help to stop drinking alcohol

If you adopted a child or are providing foster care, you may not know if the biological mother drank alcohol while pregnant. International adoption from some countries may have a higher rate of alcohol use by pregnant mothers. If you have concerns about your child’s learning or behavior, talk with your child’s healthcare professional to find out what might be causing these problems. To reduce the risk of miscarriage, women who are trying to conceive should consider avoiding alcohol. For those unwilling to do that or those with an unplanned pregnancy, stopping drinking as soon as a pregnancy test is positive may improve the likelihood of successful outcomes. Healthcare providers must educate women about what we know regarding alcohol consumption during pregnancy.

You could have one child that is born healthy and another child born with problems. Some intellectual and behavioral problems related to FASD may not be apparent initially and alcohol during pregnancy can appear at any time during childhood. It is unsafe for people to consume any amount of alcohol during pregnancy.

Health Care Providers

CDC works with partners across the country to address alcohol and other substance use during pregnancy and FASDs. These scientific findings help inform evidence-based care and resources. They collaborate to provide training to healthcare professionals and disseminate updated information. Alcohol use during pregnancy might affect one baby more than another. You could have one child who is born healthy and another child who is born with problems. There is no known safe amount of alcohol use during your pregnancy or when you are trying to get pregnant.

What happens if you drank and did not know you were pregnant?

Whether or not a baby is affected mildly or severely with FASD is directly linked to how much and how often a woman drinks during pregnancy. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage, premature birth and your baby having a low birthweight. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy poses a potentially serious risk to the unborn baby. The standard advice is for people to abstain from alcohol during pregnancy. Two studies from 2021 support the idea that alcohol consumption during pregnancy isn’t a good idea – both for the overall outcome of the pregnancy and for fetal neurodevelopment. Some women felt that the CDC was being condescending and interfering in their right to make decisions about how they live their lives.

• If you adopted a child or are providing foster care, you may not know if the biological mother drank alcohol while pregnant.
• There are currently no studies directly evaluating the safety of non-alcoholic beverages in pregnancy.
• Ask your doctor or midwife how many calories you need and how much weight is healthy for you to gain during pregnancy.
• You may also want to talk over your options with your family or friends.
• Experts advise that drinking any amount of alcohol while pregnant can pose a severe health risk to the fetus, causing developmental and social issues.

Your healthcare provider may be able to help you determine the best option for you. Prenatal alcohol exposure and central nervous system (CNS) involvement are factors common to the disorders encompassing FASD. Evidence of CNS involvement can be structural (e.g., small brain size, alterations in specific brain regions) or functional (e.g., cognitive and behavioral deficits, motor and coordination problems). Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can cause fetal alcohol spectrum disorder or fetal alcohol syndrome, a severe, irreversible developmental condition.