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</ iframe > </noscript> <!-- End Google Tag Manager (noscript) --><div id="header"> <div id="CClogo"><a href="https://www.cookchildrens.org"><span class="srText">Cook Children's</span></a></div> <div id="CCsearch"> <form id="searchform" name="searchform" method="GET" onsubmit="return (this.q.value == '') ? false : true;" action="/CookChildrens/en/parents/"> <input type="hidden" name="search" value="y"/> <input type="hidden" name="getfields" value="description"/> <input type="search" class="search" name="q" id="q" maxlength="256" autocomplete="off" autocorrect="off" placeholder="Search"/> <input type="hidden" name="datasource" value="cookchildrens"> <input type="hidden" name="start" value="0"> <input type="hidden" name="rows" value="10"> <input type="hidden" name="lang" value="english"> <input type="hidden" name="section" value="parents_teens_kids"> <input type="submit" value="" id="searchButton" class="buttonImage"/> </form> </div> </div> <!-- If we have main navigation separated then it will reside here --> <div id="thelou" tabindex="-1"> </div> <div id="mainContentContainer" class="kh-article-page"> <div id="rsSearchBrowse"> <div id="rsBrowse" role="navigation"> </div> <div id="rsSearch"> <div id="rsSectionLabel">parents</div> </div> </div> <div id="khContentHeading" class="ar licH"> <h1>Alcohol Use During Pregnancy</h1> </div> <div class="clearBox"> </div> <div id="khcontent"> <div id="xp1"> </div><br clear="all" style="width: 0; height: 0; line-height: 0; font-size: 0;"><div id="khcontent_article" lang="en-us"> <div id="NavigatePage1"> <div id="whichRead_1"><span class="ISI_MESSAGE"><!-- The following article is brought to you by CookChildrens. --></span><div class="rs_skip rs_skip_en rsbtn_kidshealth rs_preserve" id="readspeaker_button1"><script> var theRSURL = (escape(document.location.href)); var rsAudioTitle = document.title.replace(/ |\'|\?/g,"_"); var whichReadPage = 1; var doesItGotFlash = ''; makeTheRSLinkEN(); var readSpeakerDownloadLink = "//app-na.readspeaker.com/cgi-bin/rsent?customerid=5202&lang=en_us&voice=Kate&speed=100&readid=khcontent_article&url="+theRSURL+"&audiofilename=KidsHealth_"+rsAudioTitle+""; </script></div> <!--googleoff:all--> <div id="languagePairLink" class="rs_skip"><a href="/CookChildrens/es/parents/preg-alcohol.html?WT.ac=pairedLink"><span class="pairedURLHead" lang="es">en español<img src="/images/n00/icons/langPairArrow.svg" alt=""></span><span class="pairedURLBody" lang="es">Consumo de alcohol durante el embarazo</span></a></div> <!--googleon:all--><div class="rte-image"><!--<sly data-sly-test.buttonBorder="khb-noborder"></sly> --><h3>Why Is it Risky to Drink Alcohol During Pregnancy?</h3><p>Babies can be born with <a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/fas.html">fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)</a> if a mother drinks a lot of alcohol during pregnancy. No one knows how much alcohol use is risky during pregnancy versus what might be "safe." So, it's always wise to be cautious and not drink <em>any</em> alcohol during pregnancy.</p><h3>What Are the Risks to a Baby?</h3><p>Alcohol use during pregnancy is one of the most common causes of physical, behavioral, and intellectual problems. It can be more harmful to a developing fetus than <a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/drugs-pregnancy.html">drug use</a>, and also can lead to <a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/miscarriage.html">miscarriage</a> or stillbirth. It also can increase a baby’s risk for <a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/sids.html">sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)</a>.</p><h3>Is It OK to Have an Occasional Drink During Pregnancy?</h3><p>It may seem harmless to have a glass of wine or beer, but alcohol passes easily from mother to baby. The baby’s body is less able to get rid of it, so it stays in the baby's system for a longer time than in the mother’s. This can damage the baby’s brain and other organs. Binge drinking (more than four drinks at a time) is clearly a dangerous drinking pattern, but even low or moderate amounts of alcohol can be unsafe during a pregnancy.</p><h3>What if I Drank Before I Knew I Was Pregnant?</h3><p>If you had a drink or two before you knew you were pregnant (as is common), don't worry too much about it. But your best bet is to not drink any more alcohol for the rest of your pregnancy.</p><p>If you have (or think you might have) a drinking problem, talk to your doctor about it. They should know how much alcohol you drank and when during your pregnancy to get a better idea of how your unborn baby might be affected. And they can help you take steps to stop drinking — for your sake and your baby's.</p><p>You also can find information on treatment options at:</p><ul></ul></div> <div id="reviewerBox"> <div id="reviewedBy">Reviewed by: Elana Pearl Ben-Joseph, MD</div> <div id="reviewedDate">Date reviewed: January 2023</div> </div><span class="ISI_MESSAGE"><!--Thank you for listening to this KidsHealth audio cast. The information you heard, is for educational purposes only. If you need medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment, consult your doctor. This audio cast is Copyrighted by KidsHealth. All rights are reserved.--></span></div> </div> </div> </div> <!--googleoff:all--> <div id="relatedBoxParents" class="t1 "> <div id="navTabs"> <ul id="navTabsPKT" role="tablist" aria-labelledby="moreOnThisTopicHeader"> <li role="presentation" class="current" id="PKTtabParents"><button class="PKTJSTButton" role="tab" id="parents_tab" aria-controls="relatedArticlesListParents" aria-selected="true" tabindex="0"><span>for Parents</span></button></li> </ul> </div> <div id="mainBar"> </div> <div id="mrLinks"> <h2 id="moreOnThisTopicHeader">MORE ON THIS TOPIC</h2> <ul id="relatedArticlesListParents" role="tabpanel" aria-labelledby="parents_tab"> <li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/fas.html?WT.ac=p-ra">Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)</a></li> <li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/pregnancy-precautions.html?WT.ac=p-ra">Pregnancy Precautions</a></li> <li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/preg-health.html?WT.ac=p-ra">Staying Healthy During Pregnancy</a></li> <li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/medical-care-pregnancy.html?WT.ac=p-ra">Medical Care During Pregnancy</a></li> <li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/center/pregnancy-center.html?WT.ac=p-ra">Pregnancy Center</a></li> <li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/pregnancy-calendar-intro.html?WT.ac=p-ra">A Week-by-Week Pregnancy Calendar</a></li> </ul> </div> <div id="boxBreaker"> </div> <div id="zeroTester"> </div> <div id="relatedButtonsHolder"> <div id="relatedButtonsBoth"> <ul> <li id="relatedPrinterButton"><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/preg-alcohol.html?view=ptr&WT.ac=p-ptr" rel="nofollow" onclick="printWindow(this.href); return false;" title="This link will open in a new window.">Print<span class="newWindowIcon_leftSpace"> </span></a></li> <li id="relatedEmailFriendButton"><a rel="nofollow" href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/preg-alcohol.html?view=emailto&WT.ac=s2af-en-parents-preg-alcohol.html" target="_blank" title="This link will open in a new window.">Send to a Friend<span class="newWindowIcon_leftSpace"> </span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div><br clear="all"></div><br clear="all"><script>window.onload=setVars('');PKTChoose(6,0,0,0);</script><div id="kh_lic_footer"> <nav aria-label="Content info"> <ul id="kh_lic_footer_links"> <li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/editorial-policy-licensee.html">Editorial Policy</a></li> <li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/policy-licensees.html">Privacy Policy & Terms of Use</a></li> <li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/copyright.html">Copyright</a></li> </ul> </nav> <div id="kh_lic_footer_legalease"> <p><img lang="en" alt="A KidsHealth Education Partner" src="/images/n00/logos/eduPartner3.svg"> Note: All information is for educational purposes only. 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