Supp 3_Brochure_Alcohol and Pregnancy and FASDs_Final for Testing

Stop drinking when you start trying.

ALCOHOL
and PREGNANCY :
Why Take the Risk?
Helpful Resources
The organizations and resources below can provide
you with more information on FASDs, drinking and
pregnancy, and how to get help if you are pregnant
or trying to get pregnant and cannot stop drinking.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National
Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities
www.cdc.gov/fasd or call 800-CDC-INFO
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration (SAMHSA) FASD Center for Excellence
www.fasdcenter.samhsa.gov
National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (NOFAS)
www.nofas.org or call 800-66-NOFAS (66327)
National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence
(NCADD) www.ncadd.org or call 800-NCA-CALL (622-2255)
Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Locator,
www.findtreatment.samhsa.gov or call 800-622-HELP (4357)
Alcoholics Anonymous www.aa.org
March of Dimes www.marchofdimes.com
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
www.niaaa.nih.gov

Period of development when functional defects and minor structural defects can occur.
Period of development when major defects in bodily structure can occur.

National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (NOFAS) 2009, Adapted from Moore, 1993

Ears
External Genitalia
Palate
Teeth
Eyes
Arms/Legs
Heart
Central Nervous System (CNS)- Brain and Spinal Cord
• = Most common site of birth defects
Weeks 1-2

Period of
the Ovum

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

Week 6

Week 7

Week 8

P e r iod of the E m b r yo

Fetal Development Chart

Week 12

Week 16

Weeks
20-36

P e r i o d o f t h e F e tu s

This chart shows vulnerability of the
fetus to defects throughout pregnancy.

Week 38

What are FASDs?

What causes FASDs?

• Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can cause a range
of birth defects including physical and intellectual
disabilities that can last a lifetime. These problems are
known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs).

• Alcohol in the mother’s blood passes to the baby through
the umbilical cord so when a pregnant woman drinks
alcohol, her developing baby also drinks.
• Since every pregnancy is different, drinking alcohol
may hurt one baby more than another.

• You might have heard of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)
which is one condition under the FASD spectrum. A
baby born with FAS has a small head, weighs less than
other babies and has distinct facial features.

• The baby’s brain, body and organs are developing
throughout pregnancy and can be affected by
exposure to alcohol at any time.

• Some of the behavioral and intellectual
disabilities for people with FASDs include:

• learning disabilities

• hyperactivity

• difficulty paying attention

• speech and language delays

• low IQ
• poor reasoning and judgment skills

“ In over twenty years of working on
FASD prevention, I have never met a
mom who intentionally wanted to harm
her unborn baby. Either she didn’t
know that alcohol was harmful during
pregnancy or she needed help to

• People born with FASDs can also have problems with
their organs including the heart and kidneys.

stop drinking.”

- Kathy Mitchell
Vice President and National Spokesperson
National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome(NOFAS)

Are some types of alcohol, such as red wine,
safer to drink during pregnancy than others?

Why should I worry about alcohol use if I am
not pregnant and not trying to get pregnant?

• Drinking any type of alcohol can affect your baby’s
growth and development and cause FASDs.

• If you drink alcohol and do not use birth control when
you have sex, you might get pregnant and expose your
baby to alcohol before you know you are pregnant.

• Red wine is no safer than white wine, beer or mixed drinks.

• Nearly half of all pregnancies in the United States are
unplanned. And, many women do not know they
are pregnant right away. So, if you are not trying to
get pregnant but you are having sex, use birth
control consistently.

• A 4-ounce glass of red or white wine has the same amount
of alcohol as a 12-ounce can of beer or a 1-ounce shot of
straight liquor.
• Some drinks, like mixed alcoholic drinks or malt liquor
drinks, may have more alcohol in them than a 12-ounce
can of beer.

What if I drank before I knew I was pregnant?

U.S. standard drink equivalents
12 oz.
of beer or
cooler

8-9 oz.
of malt
liquor
8.5 oz. shown in
a 12-oz. glass that
if full, would hold
about 1.5 standard
drinks of malt liquor

5 oz. of
table wine

3-4 oz. of
fortified
wine
( such as sherry or
port) 3.5 oz. shown

2-3 oz.
of cordial
liqueur,
or apertif
2.5 oz. shown

1.5 oz.
of brandy
(a single jigger)

1.5 oz.
of spirits
( a single jigger of
80-proof gin, vodka,
whiskey, etc.) Shown
straight and in a
highball glass with
ice to show a level
before adding mixer

• Make sure you get regular prenatal checkups. Tell
your healthcare provider you have been drinking and
ask for advice.
• Remember, it is never too late to stop drinking. Since
brain growth takes place throughout pregnancy, the
sooner you stop drinking the safer it will be for you
and your baby.

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)

Is it okay to drink a little during pregnancy?
Are there some times during pregnancy that
are safer than other times to drink?

If I drank when I was pregnant does that
mean my baby will have an FASD?

• There is no guaranteed safe level of alcohol use during
your pregnancy or when you are trying to get pregnant.

• Every pregnancy is different and alcohol can affect
unborn babies in different ways. Some problems
are more obvious than others and some children
show more effects than others.

• There is also no safe time to drink when you are
pregnant. Alcohol can cause problems for your
unborn baby throughout your pregnancy,
including before you know you are pregnant.

Is it okay to drink alcohol if I am
trying to get pregnant?
• You might be pregnant and not know it yet. You probably
won’t know you are pregnant for up to 4 to 6 weeks. This
means you might be drinking and expose your developing
baby to alcohol without meaning to.
• The best advice is to stop drinking when you start
trying to get pregnant.

• If you drank any amount of alcohol while you were
pregnant, talk with your child’s health care provider
as soon as possible and share your concerns.
• You may not know right away if your child has been
affected. FASDs include a range of physical and
intellectual disabilities that are not always easy to
identify when a child is a newborn. Some of these effects
may not be known until your child is in school.
• There is no cure for FASDs. However, identifying
children with these conditions as early as possible can
help them to reach their full potential.

The best choice is not to drink at all when
you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant.