Alcohol & Pregnancy
What is FASD and do I need to worry about it?
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a term that describes a range of disabilities that may affect people whose mothers drank alcohol while they were pregnant. People with FASD may be small, they may have behaviour and/or learning problems, and their faces may look different. Anyone can have FASD if their biological mother drank alcohol during pregnancy.
Did you know?
If women drink when they are pregnant, their babies may have brain and nervous system damage. This means that as they grow up, those affected may have many problems with learning and /or behaviour, doing math, thinking things through, learning from experience, understanding the consequences of their actions, and remembering things. They may also have trouble in social situations, and getting along with others.
How much drinking causes FASD?
Alcohol may cause brain and nervous system damage in the developing baby. There is no safe amount of alcohol during pregnancy. There may be no safe time to drink alcohol during pregnancy.
We know that a baby's brain is very sensitive to alcohol while it is developing, but we don't know how much alcohol it takes to do this damage. Research shows that children born to mothers who drank as little as 1 drink per day during pregnancy may have behaviour and learning problems. Binge drinking - or drinking a large amount of alcohol in a short amount of time - is especially bad for the developing baby.
Stopping or cutting down drinking alcohol while pregnant will help ensure a healthy baby. No alcohol is the best (and the safest!) choice for having a healthy baby.
If you are planning a pregnancy or not using reliable birth control, avoid alcohol. Remember that friends, family and community members can all support a pregnant woman not to drink during pregnancy!
What type of alcohol should I avoid?
Everything! Beer, wine, cocktails, coolers, hard liquors such as whiskey, gin or vodka, liqueurs or even hard ciders all contain alcohol that can hurt your developing baby. There is no safe type of alcohol to drink when you are pregnant.
But I enjoy the occasional drink......!
Replace your occasional drink with a non-alcoholic beverage. If you need help to stop drinking, get it as soon as possible and ask your partner and family to support your decision to quit. There is help and support is available. Talk to your doctor, community health nurse, midwife or other health care provider. Check with your public health unit, community resource or Friendship Centre - they might have programs that could help.
For additional information:
Search results for alcohol and pregnancy on the Canadian Health Network  - A consumer health information service brought to you by the Public Health Agency of Canada and major health organizations across Canada.
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