Alcohol and Perinatal Health
In 2005, the U.S. Surgeon General released an advisory on Alcohol Use in Pregnancy
that urged women who are pregnant or who may become pregnant to abstain from
alcohol. This advisory still applies today.
| When a woman is pregnant, her baby drinks what she drinks. Beer and wine, as well as liquor, can hurt unborn babies. |
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Based on scientific research, we know that:
- Alcohol consumed during pregnancy increases the risk of alcohol-related
birth defects, including growth deficiencies, facial abnormalities, central
nervous system impairment, behavioral disorders, and impaired intellectual development.
- No amount of alcohol consumption can be considered safe during pregnancy.
- Alcohol can damage a fetus at any stage of pregnancy. Damage can occur
in the earliest weeks of pregnancy, even before a woman knows that she is pregnant.
- The cognitive deficits and behavioral problems resulting from prenatal
alcohol exposure are lifelong.
- Alcohol-related birth defects are completely preventable.
| There is no safe level of alcohol consumption for pregnant women. Every drink is one too many. |
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Therefore, as a result of these facts it is strongly recommended that:
- A pregnant woman should not drink alcohol during pregnancy.
- A pregnant woman who has already consumed alcohol during her pregnancy
should stop in order to minimize further risk.
- A woman who is considering becoming pregnant should abstain from alcohol.
| If you are already pregnant, stop drinking now
and provide a better chance of having a healthy baby. |
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- Recognizing that over half of all births in the United States are unplanned,
women of child-bearing age should consult their physician and take steps to
reduce the possibility of prenatal alcohol exposure.
- Health professionals should inquire routinely about alcohol consumption
by women of childbearing age, inform them of the risks of alcohol consumption
during pregnancy, and advise them not to drink alcoholic beverages during pregnancy.
What is Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)?
Alcohol can cause babies to be born with a spectrum of disorders. Fetal Alcohol
Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a term used to describe the wide range of effects
that can occur in an individual whose mother drank alcohol during pregnancy.
These effects may include physical, mental, behavioral, and/or learning disabilities
with possible lifelong implications.
Alcohol-related birth defects can cause infants/children to:
- be born with low birth weight;
- have problems eating, sleeping, seeing and hearing;
- have trouble following directions and learning how to do simple things;
- have trouble paying attention and learning in school;
- need medical care all their lives;
- need special teachers and schools; and have trouble getting along with others
and controlling their behavior.
Source: New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS)
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