When you drink, so does your baby-the more you drink, the more your baby "drinks." Alcohol use by a pregnant woman carries considerable risk to her developing baby. Alcohol inhibits the transport of amino acids and glucose in the placenta. The fetus is especially vulnerable to the effects of alcohol in early pregnancy.

Your developing baby may be harmed by an alcohol level that has little apparent effect on you. A fetus cannot metabolize alcohol as quickly as an adult, so alcohol remains in its system longer. Moderate use of alcohol has been linked to a greater risk of miscarriage. Studies show that spina bifida is up to 60 times more common in babies exposed to alcohol before birth than in babies who were not exposed.

problems; what would be the harm? She wasn't sure, so she decided to stay with fruit juice.
At her next prenatal visit, she wanted to know how much alcohol she could drink safely. I supported Wendy in her decision not to drink at all during her pregnancy. I told her that no research has identified a "safe" amount of alcohol to consume during pregnancy. The more we learn, the more it appears that even a little alcohol might be harmful.
The word is spreading about alcohol use during pregnancy; but a study in 1995 found that many pregnant women in North America ignored the advice to avoid alcohol during pregnancy. In that study, four times as many women said they drank alcohol during pregnancy than those who had been interviewed in 1991. Don't put your baby at risk! Pass up all alcohol during your pregnancy.
You may wonder about recipes that call for alcohol. It's OK to eat food that contains alcohol if it has been baked or simmered for at least 1 hour. Cooking for that length of time cooks out almost all of the alcohol content.

Some women wonder if nonalcoholic wine and beer are safe to drink during pregnancy. Even though they are labeled "no alcohol," these beverages contain some alcohol-about 0.5%. Because we don't know what alcohol-intake level is safe for the fetus, it's a good idea to avoid these beverages.
Alcohol consumption during pregnancy may result in abnormalities in the baby. Drinking as little as two drinks a day has been associated with fetal-alcohol effects. Chronic use of alcohol during pregnancy can lead to fetal-alcohol syndrome (FAS), which is characterized by abnormal fetal development.

Fetal-Alcohol Syndrome.
Fetal-alcohol syndrome (F AS) is a collection of problems that affect children born to alcoholic women. The complete syndrome occurs in 1 or 2 of every 1,000 births.

F AS is characterized by growth restriction before and after birth.
Defects in the heart and limbs, and unusual facial characteristics, such as a short, upturned nose, a flat upper jawbone and "different" eyes, have also been seen in F AS children. These children may have behavioral problems, impaired speech and impaired gross-motor functions. F AS ranks with neural-tube defects and Down syndrome as a major cause of mental retardation in babies.
At this time, we don't know how much alcohol causes FAS, so we advise women that any amount of alcohol is too much. Most studies indicate four or five drinks a day cause F AS. Mild abnormalities have been associated with as little as two drinks a day (l ounce of alcohol)-this is called fetal alcohol exposure (FAE). It's best to avoid alcohol completely while you're pregnant!
Other Facts about Alcohol Use. Taking drugs with alcohol increases the risk of damage to the fetus. Drugs that cause the greatest concern include analgesics, antidepressants and anticonvulsants.

Some researchers believe heavy alcohol consumption by a baby's father before or at the time of conception may produce F AS in the baby. Alcohol consumption by the father has also been linked to intrauterine-growth restriction.

Be very careful about substances you use that may contain alcohol. Over-the-counter cough medicines and cold remedies often contain alcohol-as much as 25% of the preparation!