It is common knowledge that alcohol consumption has been associated with risks to pregnancies. Since 1989, the United States has required a warning statement to be printed on all alcohol beverages that includes the following: “According to the Surgeon General, women should not drink alcoholic beverages during pregnancy because of the risk of birth defects.”1
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): “There is no known safe amount of alcohol during pregnancy or when trying to get pregnant. There is also no safe time to drink during pregnancy.” The National Institutes of Health (NIH) states that, “prenatal alcohol exposure is associated with an increased risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, prematurity, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), as well as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs).”2 3
The CDC notes that, “it is never too late to stop alcohol use during pregnancy. Stopping alcohol use will improve the baby’s health and well-being.” For those who are breastfeeding, the CDC’s guidance is that “not drinking alcohol is the safest option for breastfeeding mothers,” adding that, “drinking alcoholic beverages is not an indication to stop breastfeeding; however, consuming more than one drink per day is not recommended.”4 5
Find research articles and learn more at PubMed: