Alcohol & pregnancy
Nobody really knows whether there is a "safe" level of alcohol consumption during pregnancy, and many experts recommend that if a woman suspects she could be pregnant, she should stop drinking alcohol immediately. Others think that if a woman is pregnant, or trying to become pregnant, she should limit her alcohol intake to no more than one or two units of alcohol, once or twice a week.
When a pregnant woman drinks alcohol it rapidly passes into her bloodstream, across the placenta and to her baby. Drinking alcohol puts her developing baby at risk especially in the early stage of pregnancy and, in some cases, can even cause lifelong physical and mental birth defects.
Women who drink excessively throughout pregnancy (i.e. usually four or five, or more, drinks each day), or have repeated episodes of binge drinking, have a greater risk of miscarriage or stillbirth, or giving birth to underweight babies who suffer seriously from mental and growth retardation, psychological or behavioural problems, facial abnormalities, and defects of the heart and other organs.
If a pregnant woman drinks moderate amounts of alcohol during her pregnancy (i.e. one or two units of alcohol per day), she is more likely to give birth to a baby who has problems with hyperactivity, poor attention span, and difficulty learning speech.
If you tend to use alcohol to wind down or relax, try swapping your usual glass of wine or beer for another relaxing activity - perhaps a warm bath, listening to some soothing music, doing some gentle exercise, reading a book, or having a massage. If you miss the ritual of drinking during your evening meal, try changing to a non-alcoholic beer or wine.
The overall recommendation is that you should be careful about alcohol consumption during pregnancy.
The risks to your baby are higher if you also smoke during pregnancy, use recreational drugs or don't look after yourself, for example by not eating a balanced diet).
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