
Can I have a glass of wine at 25 weeks pregnant?
Even in later weeks of pregnancy, there’s no known safe amount of alcohol consumption. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends complete abstinence during all stages of pregnancy. While the embryonic stage is particularly vulnerable, alcohol during pregnancy can affect brain development throughout all three trimesters. That occasional drink isn’t worth putting your baby at risk.
Does your body reject alcohol in early pregnancy?
Your body doesn’t reject alcohol during early pregnancy, though some women do experience aversions to alcoholic beverages. This isn’t a protective mechanism. Alcohol crosses the placenta at all levels of consumption. Any alcohol in your bloodstream reaches your developing baby, regardless of whether you experience nausea or other pregnancy symptoms.
Can alcohol cause miscarriage at 1 week?
Alcohol consumption can increase the risk of miscarriage even during the earliest stages of pregnancy. Studies show that drinking during the first weeks of gestation can interfere with the implantation of the embryo in the uterine wall. Heavy drinking or binge drinking particularly elevates this risk, and each successive week of exposure increases miscarriage risk by approximately 8%.
How does maternal consumption of alcohol affect birth weight?
Maternal consumption of alcohol during pregnancy often leads to lower birth weight, even when drinking moderate amounts. This growth restriction occurs because alcohol interferes with the placenta’s ability to deliver nutrients efficiently to the developing baby. Babies with low birth weight face increased risks of breathing problems, difficulty regulating body temperature, and other health complications.
Is there a link between alcohol and infant death syndrome?
There may be a connection between maternal alcohol use and increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome. Studies reveal that prenatal exposure to alcohol affects a baby’s brain development in ways that may disrupt normal breathing regulation during sleep. Alcohol risks follow your baby months after birth, so pregnancy is the perfect time to stop drinking and create a healthier future for you both.
How does alcohol affect a child’s social skills and coordination?
Children exposed to alcohol before birth often show poor coordination and delayed social skills development. Even moderate amounts of alcohol during pregnancy can damage the cerebellum, which controls movement and balance. According to a 2018 study, these children frequently show behavioral issues in classroom settings, struggling with appropriate social interactions and physical activities requiring fine motor control. These effects can persist through childhood and adolescence.
Resources
Sundermann AC, Velez Edwards DR, Slaughter JC, Wu P, Jones SH, Torstenson ES, Hartmann KE. Week-by-week alcohol consumption in early pregnancy and spontaneous abortion risk: a prospective cohort study. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2021 Jan;224(1):97.e1-97.e16. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2020.07.012. Epub 2020 Jul 13. PMID: 32673615; PMCID: PMC7807528.
Popova S, Dozet D, Shield K, Rehm J, Burd L. Alcohol’s Impact on the Fetus. Nutrients. 2021 Sep 29;13(10):3452. doi: 10.3390/nu13103452. PMID: 34684453; PMCID: PMC8541151.
Ungerer M, Knezovich J, Ramsay M. In utero alcohol exposure, epigenetic changes, and their consequences. Alcohol Res. 2013;35(1):37-46. PMID: 24313163; PMCID: PMC3860424.
Maier SE, West JR. Drinking patterns and alcohol-related birth defects. Alcohol Res Health. 2001;25(3):168-74. PMID: 11810954; PMCID: PMC6707176.
Mareckova, K., Marecek, R., Andryskova, L. et al. Prenatal exposure to alcohol and its impact on reward processing and substance use in adulthood. Transl Psychiatry 14, 220 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-024-02941-9
Hoyme HE, Kalberg WO, Elliott AJ, Blankenship J, Buckley D, Marais AS, Manning MA, Robinson LK, Adam MP, Abdul-Rahman O, Jewett T, Coles CD, Chambers C, Jones KL, Adnams CM, Shah PE, Riley EP, Charness ME, Warren KR, May PA. Updated Clinical Guidelines for Diagnosing Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. Pediatrics. 2016 Aug;138(2):e20154256. doi: 10.1542/peds.2015-4256. Epub 2016 Jul 27. PMID: 27464676; PMCID: PMC4960726.
Sundermann AC, Zhao S, Young CL, Lam L, Jones SH, Velez Edwards DR, Hartmann KE. Alcohol Use in Pregnancy and Miscarriage: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2019 Aug;43(8):1606-1616. doi: 10.1111/acer.14124. Epub 2019 Jul 3. PMID: 31194258; PMCID: PMC6677630.
O’Leary CM, Jacoby PJ, Bartu A, D’Antoine H, Bower C. Maternal alcohol use and sudden infant death syndrome and infant mortality excluding SIDS. Pediatrics. 2013 Mar;131(3):e770-8. doi: 10.1542/peds.2012-1907. Epub 2013 Feb 25. PMID: 23439895.
Subramoney S, Eastman E, Adnams C, Stein DJ, Donald KA. The Early Developmental Outcomes of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure: A Review. Front Neurol. 2018 Dec 18;9:1108. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2018.01108. PMID: 30619064; PMCID: PMC6305542.
Further reading
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