Can You Drink Wine While Pregnant?

If a glass of vino at the end of a long day is your go-to relaxing treat, the thought of abstaining from alcohol throughout pregnancy might seem like a big challenge. With conflicting info from your doctor, partner, and friends, deciding to drink alcohol — or not — can be confusing.

So what’s the real deal? Can you drink wine while pregnant? Read on...

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Can you drink wine while pregnant?

First off, if you’re reading this and panicking about some wine you had in your first trimester, before you found out you were pregnant, try not to worry.

It’s unlikely a small amount of alcohol will have caused any problems. If you’re worried, there’s no harm in having a chat with your doctor.

That being said, the official word from health authorities the world over is that pregnant women should not drink wine or other alcohol while pregnant.

It’s known that alcohol crosses the placenta, but what is unknown is the exact quantity of alcohol that poses a risk to your unborn baby, so avoiding alcohol completely is the safest option.

How many glasses of wine can you drink while pregnant?

So how much wine can you drink while pregnant? Is there a “safe” amount? No, not really.

Research shows a correlation between prenatal moderate and binge drinking and various developmental problems among babies and children.

The conclusion is that the more alcohol you drink during pregnancy, the higher the risk to your baby.

The problem is that there is no way to find out exactly how many glasses of wine is too many, so again, the recommendation is to stay sober.

Will 1 glass of wine hurt a baby?

While many mamas-to-be will feel completely fine after just one glass of wine, the same cannot be said for their unborn baby.

If you’re thinking, can you drink a glass of wine while pregnant? and not hurt your baby, there really is no guarantee.

When the alcohol crosses the placenta, it can quickly overwhelm the baby’s developing body.

The liver, the organ which filters the alcohol out of our bloodstream, is one of the last major organs to mature in a fetus’s body, so they just can’t process alcohol the same way we can.

The main risks to your baby of drinking wine while pregnant are a variety of problems under the umbrella term Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders.

These are a range of neurological, physical, and developmental abnormalities which can affect everything from your baby’s birth weight to the way they manage school-age activities.

The highest tier of disorder is called Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). Babies born with FAS can have physical abnormalities like facial disfigurement, a small head, and low birth weight, problems gaining weight and feeding, behavioral and cognitive difficulties, and problems with vision and hearing, even growth deficiencies.

What kind of wine can I drink while pregnant?

So what kind of wine can you drink while pregnant? Is there a safer option?

Can you drink red wine while pregnant, for example? Nope, afraid not.

Unfortunately, all types of wine with an alcohol content pose the same risks and are best avoided while pregnant.

Even if your mom swears by the monthly glass of red she enjoyed when she was pregnant with you!

Of course, this is a decision only you can make.

If you’re really craving that grapey taste, why not try a non-alcoholic version, or enjoy your favorite non-alcoholic beverage in your best wine glass, just for kicks?

The sacrifices will all be worth it when you’re holding your healthy newborn in a few precious months. Promise.

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