Alcohol While Pregnant

There’s no way to get around it. Drinking while pregnant is unsafe for your unborn baby. It’s a very big gamble that could have lifelong consequences for your child.

There’s no amount of safe alcohol to consume while pregnant. There’s no kind of safe alcohol, and there’s no time of pregnancy when it’s safe to consume alcohol. The CDC urges women not to drink at any time during pregnancy.

In fact, they also recommend that women who are sexually active and not using birth control should also not drink. Pregnancy can occur weeks before a woman becomes aware, and half of all US pregnancies are unplanned.

Why is drinking while pregnant so dangerous for babies?

Consumption of alcohol by pregnant women can cause miscarriage or stillbirth, as well as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Subjecting a child to the problems that come with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders is a cruel life sentence.

According to the CDC, children with the fetal alcohol disorders may experience the following problems (not a complete list of the many problems that could be caused by consuming alcohol during pregnancy):

• Abnormal facial features
• Small head size
• Shorter-than-average height
• Low body weight
• Poor coordination
• Learning disabilities
• Problems with the heart, kidney, or bones
• Vision or hearing problems
• Speech and language delays
• Hyperactive behavior

While there’s no cure for fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, research has shown that early intervention may improve a child’s development. Diagnosis before 6 years of age is ideal, as is a loving and stable home environment.

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