Alcohol and pregnancy

Risks of Drinking during Pregnancy

Risks of Drinking during Pregnancy

  • Avoiding alcohol during pregnancy is the safest option.
  • There is no proven safe amount of alcohol a woman can drink during pregnancy.
  • If you drink alcohol during pregnancy, some alcohol will pass through the placenta to your baby. The more you drink the greater is the risk of harm to your baby.
  • Drinking heavily during pregnancy can:
    • Increase your chances of miscarriage
    • Affect the way your baby develops in the uterus and, in particular, the way your baby’s brain develops
    • Affect the way your baby grows in the uterus by causing the placenta not to work as well as it should – this is known as fetal growth restriction.
    • Increase the risk of a stillbirth
    • Increase the risk of premature labour
    • Make your baby more prone to illness in infancy and in childhood, and also as an adult
    • Cause Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) or Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) – see below for more information on both FASD and FAS.
  • The more you drink, the more your baby’s growth will be affected and the less healthy your baby will be. However, if you cut down or stop drinking altogether, your baby will start to grow at a normal rate. Stopping drinking at any point during pregnancy can be beneficial. However, in some instances, the effects of heavy drinking on your baby cannot be reversed.
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Drinking alcohol during pregnancy

Drinking alcohol during pregnancy

  • Drinking heavily during pregnancy can cause fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) or fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS).
  • While FASD is less severe than FAS, children with FASD can have learning difficulties, problems with behaviour, physical disability, and emotional and psychiatric problems that last a lifetime. 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.
  • Heavy drinking of alcohol or drinking alcohol regularly in pregnancy is harmful for babies and may result in a serious condition called fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Children with FAS usually have severe physical and mental disability.

  • If you are planning a pregnancy, it is advisable not to drink alcohol during this time. Either partner drinking heavily while trying to become pregnant, can make it more difficult to conceive.

  • Most babies will be fine but you need to monitor growth of baby during pregnancy.

  • The safest option is to avoid alcohol during breastfeeding as alcohol can find its way into your breast milk. Regular drinking during breastfeeding may affect your baby’s development.
  • If you do choose to drink, it is safest not to drink more than 14 units per week and best to spread your drinks evenly during the week.
  • There are a number of reasons why women might drink too much alcohol while they are pregnant:
    • They might not know they are pregnant
    • They might feel under pressure to drink when with friends
    • They might be trying to cope with problems and stress
    • They might not be aware of the risks of drinking alcohol during pregnancy.
  • It may be helpful to think about the questions below:
    • How much and how often have you been drinking?
    • Are you unable to remember what happened on an occasion when you were drinking?
    • Has your behaviour changed because of your drinking?

  • The safest approach is not to drink alcohol at all if you are pregnant, if you think you could become pregnant or if you are breastfeeding.
  • Although the risk of harm to the baby is low with small amounts of alcohol before becoming aware of the pregnancy, there is no ‘safe’ level of alcohol to drink when you are pregnant.
  • Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can affect the way your baby develops and grows in the uterus (womb), your baby’s health at birth, and your child’s long-term health.
  • Drinking heavily throughout pregnancy can result in your baby having severe physical and mental disability known as fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS).

  • This information aims to helps you make the best decision regarding your care. It is not meant to replace advice from a doctor about your own situation.