Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

Drinking by a pregnant woman can harm her unborn baby, and may result in a set of birth defects called fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS).

FAS is the most common known preventable cause of mental impairment.

Babies with FAS have distinctive changes in their facial features and they may be born small. The brain damage that occurs with FAS can result in lifelong problems with learning, memory, attention, and problem solving. These alcohol-related changes in the brain may be present even in babies whose appearance and growth are not affected.

It is not known if there is any safe drinking level during pregnancy, nor is there any stage of pregnancy in which drinking - at any level - is known to be risk free.

If a woman is pregnant, or wants to become pregnant, she should not drink alcohol.

Even if she is pregnant and already has consumed alcohol, it is important to stop drinking for the rest of her pregnancy. Stopping can reduce the chances that her child might be harmed by alcohol.

If a mother starts out her motherhood drinking while pregnant, that is just a bad sign of how she will raise her child once the child enters the world. I couldn't imagine even thinking about drinking while being pregnant. I would not want to take any chance to harm the baby.