What Every Expectant Parent Should Know
There is no known safe amount, type, or timing of alcohol during pregnancy. Complete avoidance is the only way to fully protect your baby.
When you drink, your baby drinks. Alcohol passes freely through the placenta and can harm developing organs and the brain at every stage.
FASD is a range of lifelong conditions caused by prenatal alcohol exposure — affecting learning, behavior, and physical development.
| Trimester | Key Development | Risk of Alcohol Exposure |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Weeks 1–12 |
Organogenesis Craniofacial formation |
Structural birth defects FAS facial features Spontaneous abortion risk |
| 2nd Weeks 13–26 |
Brain wiring Neuronal migration Skeletal growth |
Disrupted neuronal migration Executive function deficits Stillbirth risk |
| 3rd Weeks 27–40 |
Rapid brain growth Weight gain Synaptogenesis |
IUGR · Microcephaly Reduced brain volume Long-term cognitive deficits |
Your care team uses validated questionnaires at every prenatal visit. Honest answers allow us to provide the best support for you and your baby.
Lab tests can detect alcohol use objectively. These are used in high-risk scenarios to complement questionnaire screening.
Low-to-moderate drinking has been linked to subtle but real deficits in attention, information processing speed, and emotional regulation — even without visible physical features.
You are not alone. Your care team is here to support — not judge — you.
of pregnancies in the United States are unplanned
Alcohol exposure often occurs before a woman knows she is pregnant. Women of childbearing age who are not using effective contraception should receive counseling about alcohol-exposed pregnancy (AEP) risk — even before conception.
There is no safe time to drink. Every day of abstinence protects your baby.
Be honest about past or current alcohol use. Disclosure is never judged — it helps us help you.
Brief counseling, support groups, and resources are available. You don't have to do this alone.
Screening at each prenatal visit ensures ongoing support and early identification of concerns.
Disclosure is never judged. Our goal is to support you and your baby with compassion and evidence-based care. Together, we can prevent FASD and build the healthiest possible start for your child.
Universal screening at the first prenatal visit and at least once per trimester is recommended by ACOG and SMFM.
No safe amount of alcohol exists during pregnancy — at any trimester, in any form.
Risk exists in all three trimesters, from structural defects to brain development impairment.
Screening and monitoring tools are available — questionnaires, labs, and neonatal testing.
Complete avoidance is the only strategy that prevents FASD entirely — 100% preventable.