Despite conflicting media reports, health authorities recommend avoiding alcohol completely during pregnancy because it is not known what levels of alcohol will harm your developing baby. Drinking during pregnancy can result in potentially severe and permanent developmental defects. You should stop drinking as soon as you know that you're pregnant or when you are trying to become pregnant.
Bottom Line
As of 2011, no level of alcohol consumption during pregnancy has been proven safe, meaning it has no health consequences to your fetus. However, this does not meant that any level of alcohol consumption has been proven unsafe, or causing developmental defects. Research is continuing on the effects of small levels of alcohol consumption during pregnancy because results thus far have been mixed.
Alcohol and Development
According to the March of Dimes, heavy drinking during pregnancy can cause fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. FASDs can cause mental retardation, heart defects, abnormal organ development, learning disabilities and behavioral disorders. The most severe FASD is fetal alcohol syndrome, which results in both physical and mental birth defects. The March of Dimes estimates that as many as 40,000 children are born each year with FASDs.
Other Risks
According to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, drinking during pregnancy raises the risk of miscarriage and premature birth. Even when defects are not easily detectable, drinking may still impair your child's development. According to studies cited by the March of Dimes, children of mothers who drank even as little as one drink per week had a higher incidence of behavioral and learning problems. It is important to note that these studies demonstrated a correlation, but not necessary a causative relationship, between light maternal drinking and developmental problems.
Avoiding Alcohol
Regular consumption of alcohol can be habitual or addictive. If you have trouble ceasing drinking during pregnancy, seek help. Do not be ashamed. Talk honestly with your doctor about your drinking habits during your prenatal exams. Seeking treatment for a drinking problem, even if it is not severe, is the best choice for you and your child.
