What are the hazards of drinking alcohol during pregnancy?
In general, alcohol-related birth defects are more likely to result from drinking during the first trimester while growth problems are more likely to result from drinking in the third trimester. However, drinking at any stage of pregnancy can affect the brain. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), each year between 1,300 and 8,000 babies in the United States are born with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) and the effects of FAS last a lifetime. Even if not mentally retarded, adolescents and adults with FAS have varying degrees of psychological and behavioral problems. During pregnancy, how much alcohol is too much? No level of drinking has been proven safe. You are advised not to drink any alcoholic beverages including beer, wine, wine coolers and hard liquor. Because no amount of alcohol is proven safe, you should stop drinking immediately even if you only suspect that you are pregnant. If a pregnant woman has one or two drinks before she realizes she is pregna
