Alcohol and Pregnancy: A Risky Combination
Table of Contents
- Alcohol and Pregnancy: A Risky Combination
- What is Fetal Alcohol Syndrome?
- What Else Can Occur When Drinking While Pregnant?
- Why Do Women Drink While Pregnant?
- Freedom From Alcohol: Found Here
- Related Guides
- Authoritative Sources and Data Verification
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Written By
- Contributor
- Reviewed By – Medical Director
- Contributor
- Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Medical Caution
- What to Do If Alcohol Exposure Has Already Happened
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Talk Through Your Next Step
- Related Resources
It is now commonly understood that drinking while pregnant is one of the worst things that a mother can do to her unborn child. The number of complications that can arise due to alcohol consumption is astounding and as such many mothers abstain from any form of adult drink while pregnant.
However, the wider population has not always known this information, because medical science had not advanced to the point where they correlated causation between drinking and prenatal issues. For many years before this information was discovered, mothers would have no problem drinking while pregnant and complications like fetal alcohol syndrome and other such problems would arise.
Drinking while pregnant was such an issue for a period of time in places like Ireland, which still has one of the highest instances of fetal alcohol syndrome in the world, that it is believed by some scholars that the origin of the Leprechaun myth is rooted in fetal alcohol syndrome throughout the population.
What is Fetal Alcohol Syndrome?
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, which is now known as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders is a group of conditions that arise when a mother continues drinking while pregnant. How severe the problems that occur depend on how much alcohol was consumed during the pregnancy, but most of the babies that are afflicted with these disorders suffer from abnormal appearances, short height, low body weight, a small head, poor coordination, lowered IQ, behavioral problems, and vision and auditory problems.
As astounding as it may be that a disorder like this still exists, with all that we know about drinking while pregnant, it is estimated that 20-30% of all mothers drink at some point during their pregnancy and that 4.7% of North American women who are pregnant are alcoholic.
What Else Can Occur When Drinking While Pregnant?
One of the more severe issues that can arise due to alcohol consumption during pregnancy is a miscarriage. Research has shown that women, who drink consistently throughout their pregnancy, run a higher risk of having a miscarriage than those that abstain. With that said, and even though it may not cause a miscarriage, drinking at all during pregnancy can affect the fetus, because the alcohol travels from the mother’s bloodstream to the child’s.
Besides this, and not particularly common, a mother who is an alcoholic can, in fact, give birth to a baby that is dependent on alcohol, which is incredibly dangerous for the infant. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms can be fatal for a full-grown adult and are only able to be treated with powerful narcotics that help to stop seizures and Delirium Tremens. Unfortunately, many of these drugs cannot be administered to a newborn child, so this puts them in a medically precarious situation that could lead to death.
Why Do Women Drink While Pregnant?
To someone who does not suffer from alcoholism it doesn’t really make sense that a mother would put their unborn child at risk just to have a few drinks, but to anyone who understands alcoholism, this is just par for the course. The thing of it is that an alcoholic mother may have every intention of not drinking during their pregnancy, in fact, they more than likely do not want to drink, but when it comes to alcoholism not wanting to drink does not equate actually finding sobriety.
The obsession that overtakes an alcoholic is not something that is easily battled and cannot be battled alone, so when an alcoholic woman finds out she is pregnant, if she does not seek help immediately for her alcoholism, the chances that she will drink during her pregnancy are fairly good.
There are some cases where the alcoholic mother-to-be may even be unaware that she is an alcoholic. She may just believe that she drinks too much from time to time and so she feels that now that she has a good enough reason to stop she will be able to.
Cases like this are hard because it is basically impossible to make the individual see that they are an alcoholic until they are ready to see it themselves. What this means, is that she may be able to stop drinking for a period of time during her pregnancy, but if she is an alcoholic, she will more than likely fall back into her old ways when the urges come.
With everything listed above, about the complications that can arise from consuming alcohol during pregnancy, it is imperative that you seek professional medical help if you are newly pregnant and have an issue with alcohol. There is nothing to be ashamed of if you have an issue with alcohol, as there are millions of people around the world who suffer from the same illness as you. Reach out today for help, so that you can have the best pregnancy possible.
Freedom From Alcohol: Found Here
If you or a loved one is suffering from alcoholism or addiction, understand that you are not alone in your struggles! If you are ready to change your life and finally be free of your addiction, then Find Addiction Rehabs can help. We can give you the jump-start you need in order to experience the recovery you have always wanted through placement at facilities across the country.
We refer to programs that are successful in that they don’t just treat the addiction but treat the whole person and the reasons that led to drinking and/or using. Give yourself the break you deserve, and start (or renew) your recovery with a confidential call today!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Fetal Alcohol Syndrome?
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome , which is now known as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders is a group of conditions that arise when a mother continues drinking while pregnant. How severe the problems that occur depend on how much alcohol was consumed during the pregnancy, but most of the babies that are afflicted with these disorders suffer from abnormal appearances, short height, low body weight, a small head, poor coordination, lowered IQ, behavioral problems, and vision and auditory problems.
Does occasional drinking during pregnancy still carry risk?
Because no amount of alcohol during pregnancy is considered clearly risk-free, even occasional drinking should be discussed with a qualified healthcare professional.
What should someone know about alcohol and Pregnancy: A Risky Combination?
It is now commonly understood that drinking while pregnant is one of the worst things that a mother can do to her unborn child. The number of complications that can arise due to alcohol consumption is astounding and as such many mothers abstain from any form of adult drink while pregnant.
Written By
Contributor
Reviewed By – Medical Director
Contributor
Last reviewed: February 28, 2026
Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Medical Caution
Alcohol use during pregnancy is a medical and safety topic. This guide is intended to help readers understand possible risks, warning signs, and next-step questions, but it is not a substitute for care from a doctor, OB-GYN, or other qualified healthcare professional. Because individual circumstances vary, the safest next step is to discuss alcohol exposure, symptoms, and ongoing use with a medical provider who can assess the situation directly.
Read more: Editorial Policy | Medical Disclaimer
What to Do If Alcohol Exposure Has Already Happened
If someone drank before realizing they were pregnant, the next step is not panic, it is getting clear medical guidance. A doctor or prenatal care provider can help evaluate the situation, answer questions about alcohol exposure, and explain what to do next. If alcohol use is ongoing or difficult to stop, it is also important to ask about treatment support that accounts for both maternal health and pregnancy safety.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should you do if you drank before knowing you were pregnant?
Contact a doctor, OB-GYN, or prenatal care provider and explain the timing and amount of alcohol exposure. They can help you understand next steps and what follow-up may be appropriate.
Does occasional drinking during pregnancy still carry risk?
Because no amount of alcohol during pregnancy is considered clearly risk-free, even occasional drinking should be discussed with a qualified healthcare professional.
When should you talk to a doctor or treatment professional about alcohol use during pregnancy?
You should reach out as soon as alcohol use is ongoing, hard to stop, or causing concern about health, pregnancy safety, or withdrawal risk.
Talk Through Your Next Step
If alcohol use during pregnancy is becoming hard to stop, getting confidential guidance can help you understand safer next steps for both parent and baby.