When a pregnant woman drinks alcohol, the alcohol passes through the placenta into the unborn baby's bloodstream. Fetuses cannot break down alcohol as effectively as adults, so alcohol stays in the bloodstream for a long time, potentially causing damage to nearly every part of the unborn baby's developing body. Drinking during pregnancy, even casual or social drinking, is not safe for your baby.
Basics
Exposure to alcohol causes cell death in the fetus, leading to abnormal development. It also constricts blood vessels and interferes with brain development, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Doctors don't know how much alcohol is safe to consume during pregnancy. Social or occasional drinking is less dangerous than chronic drinking or binge drinking, but it still may cause lower birth weight infants and psychomotor delays, according to the Maryland Family Health Administration.
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
Fetal alcohol syndrome, characterized by mental and growth retardation, occurs when the mother drinks too much during pregnancy. Mothers who drink socially or moderately during pregnancy may cause their babies to develop fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, which involve physical, mental and learning disabilities. About 1 percent of babies born in the U.S. have fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, according to the Maryland Family Health Administration.
Considerations
If you are trying to get pregnant, you should stop drinking alcohol because you may not know you are pregnant until a month or two into the pregnancy. If you just found out you are pregnant and you have been drinking, stop drinking; the earlier you stop, the safer your baby will be. Tell your doctor that you have been drinking, but don't worry too much; many babies born to women who drink do not have problems, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Warning
All kinds of alcohol are dangerous while pregnant, including beer, wine coolers, mixed drinks and other drinks. Removing alcohol from your house and avoiding places that tempt you to drink may help you avoid alcohol while you are pregnant or trying to conceive. If you have trouble stopping drinking, you may have a disorder called alcoholism. Talk to your doctor or contact an alcohol treatment program for help.
