Is it safe to drink alcohol during pregnancy?
Yeah, but...
What if it’s only one drink?
The problem with drinking alcohol during your pregnancy is that there is no amount that has been proven to be safe.
— Jacques Moritz, MD

Drinking alcohol during pregnancy,
even in moderation, can lead to
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders.

But, wine is safer
than other
alcohol, right?

No.
No.

What about
red wine?

What about
expensive,
imported,
red wine with
antioxidants?

No.

Alcohol, any type of alcohol, crosses the placenta
and can damage the central nervous system and
other organs of the developing embryo/fetus.

Isn’t beer safe?
Even light beer?

Any alcohol consumed during pregnancy will
get to the developing brain of the baby.

My doctor says it’s okay.
So, this site is wrong. Right?
 
All major medical organizations advise abstaining completely from alcohol during pregnancy – from conception through birth.

Alcohol is safer to use during
pregnancy than marijuana, isn’t it?

Is there any time during pregnancy that
is safe to drink alcohol?
 
Alcohol can harm a baby at any stage of pregnancy.

What about during the first trimester?

Zeke, Age 6, has FASD

Aztec, Age 6, has FASD

Prenatal alcohol exposure during the first trimester can increase risk of miscarriage and increase the risk of FASD by

 

What about the second trimester?

Lyleana, Age 5, has FASD

Tasha, Age 17, has FASD

Prenatal alcohol exposure during the second trimester can cause immune system deficiencies and increase the risk of FASD by

 

(if alcohol exposure occurs during both first and second trimester)

Not even during the third trimester?

Ziontay, Age 16, has FASD

Harold, Age 11, has FASD

The brain is still rapidly developing during this trimester and the risk of FASD increases by

 

(if alcohol exposure occurs during all three trimesters)

My mom drank and I’m fine.

This site is wrong. Right?

No.

There is no known safe amount of alcohol that’s OK during pregnancy.

But I thought FASD only occurs after binge drinking?

No.

Even light drinking while pregnant could cause subtle behavioral or learning shifts that may not show up until the child hits adolescence.

Have you reached the bottom yet? No.
Are we telling you what
to do with your body?

No.

Do we have a vendetta
against alcohol?

No.

We’re not against alcohol. We’re for healthy pregnancies.

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© 2019 Proof Alliance

This site is provided to families and professionals as an informative site on fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). It is not intended to replace professional medical, psychological, behavioral, legal, nutritional or educational counsel. Reference to any specific agency does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation or favoring by Proof Alliance.