There is no known safe amount of alcohol use during pregnancy or while trying to get pregnant.
There is also no safe time for alcohol use during pregnancy.
All types of alcohol are equally harmful, including all wines and beer.
Why Alcohol is Dangerous?
Alcohol in the mother’s blood passes to the baby through the umbilical cord. Alcohol use during pregnancy can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, and a range of lifelong physical, behavioral, and intellectual disabilities. These disabilities are known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs).
Children with FASDs might have the following characteristics and behaviors:
Abnormal facial features, such as a smooth ridge between the nose and upper lip (this ridge is called the philtrum)
Small head size
Shorter-than-average height
Low body weight
Poor coordination
Hyperactive behavior
Difficulty with attention
Poor memory
Difficulty in school (especially with math)
Learning disabilities
Speech and language delays
Intellectual disability or low IQ
Poor reasoning and judgment skills
Sleep and sucking problems as a baby
Vision or hearing problems
Problems with the heart, kidney, or bones
When Alcohol is Dangerous ?
There is no safe time for alcohol use during pregnancy.
Alcohol can cause problems for the baby throughout pregnancy, including before a woman knows she is pregnant.
Alcohol use in the first three months of pregnancy can cause the baby to have abnormal facial features.
Growth and central nervous system problems (e.g., low birthweight, behavioral problems) can occur from alcohol use anytime during pregnancy. The baby’s brain is developing throughout pregnancy and can be affected by exposure to alcohol at any time