People who are pregnant or trying to get pregnant are advised by their health-care providers to stay away from alcohol because of the potential risks to their baby. But what are these risks as U.S.
data suggests a small increase in recent years in the number of people drinking during pregnancy and amid Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Awareness Month? According to the CDC , 13.5 per cent of pregnant adults in the U.S.
reported current drinking between 2018 and 2020, and 5.2 per cent reported binge drinking. These measures were up by 2 percentage points compared to the 2015-17 period.
In Canada, it is estimated that 10 to 15 per cent of pregnant women use alcohol during pregnancy. “We know that there is no safe amount of alcohol that should be consumed during pregnancy , and as a result, the impact of alcohol consumption in pregnancy can vary depending on the exposure,” Dr. Naana Jumah, an obstetrician-gynecologist in Thunder Bay, Ont.
, said in an interview with Global News. The Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada (SOGC) also states that “abstaining from alcohol during pregnancy is the safest option.” Jumah said it doesn’t matter which trimester a person is in; the no-alcohol guidance applies throughout pregnancy.
“We can’t say that there’s a certain amount that won’t result in having any problems at all. So really, the safest thing is to not consume alcohol in pregnancy, and that will prevent these issues with growth and development for the c.