The risks involved with alcohol use during pregnancy:
Alcohol consumption by the mother is a leading cause of preventable birth defects in the baby. Everything a mother drinks also goes to the fetus. In addition, the risk of miscarriage and stillbirth increases with alcohol consumption.

One major consequence of drinking alcohol during pregnancy is a serious condition called fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). FAS is a leading cause of mental retardation. In addition, FAS is characterized by:

• growth retardation in the fetus
• facial defects
• behavioral problems
• eating and sleeping problems in the baby
• sight and hearing problems
• the need for medical care during the child’s life
• deformed organs
• central nervous system dysfunction

A less severe, but still detrimental form of fetal alcohol syndrome is a condition called fetal alcohol effects (FAE). FAE is present in a larger population of newborns in the US and is characterized by some physical or mental defects that can be directly attributed to alcohol use during pregnancy.

Even moderate to light drinking can affect the fetus during pregnancy. Because no one knows how much alcohol is safe during pregnancy, the US Surgeon General recommends that pregnant women avoid alcohol during their pregnancy.

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