Alcohol Use During Pregnancy
Avoid drinking alcohol entirely while you are pregnant. There is no
known safe amount of alcohol intake during pregnancy.
- A single episode of heavy drinking or binge
drinking (such as at a party) can permanently damage your fetus if the episode
occurs at a critical time in the fetus's development.
- Consumption
of alcohol during pregnancy is linked to an increased risk of miscarriage,
premature birth, complications during labor and delivery, and low birth
weight.
- Excessive use of alcohol during pregnancy has been linked
to a group of serious birth defects known as
fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Infants born with FAS
have problems that include heart defects, abnormal development of the arms and
legs, skull and facial abnormalities, and lower-than-average
intelligence.
Credits
| By | Healthwise Staff |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Sarah Marshall, MD - Family Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Kirtly Jones, MD - Obstetrics and Gynecology |
| Last Revised | July 23, 2012 |