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According to the National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (NOFAS), the American Medical Association, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, drinking alcohol in any amount can potentially be harmful to your unborn baby. Their advice is simply to refrain entirely from drinking alcohol while you are pregnant or even trying to conceive. Additionally, the British Medical Association now agrees that zero alcohol consumption is the cautious choice for a pregnant mother after stating until 2007 that it was safe for a pregnant woman to consume one or two alcoholic drinks once or twice a week. However, some obstetricians still believe that having a drink socially while pregnant poses minimal harm to a fetus. Despite the controversy, most experts and health professionals agree that abstaining from drinking alcohol during the first trimester, when critical organ development occurs, is best.
NOFAS does acknowledge that having one alcoholic drink has not been tied to birth defects, but their fear is that a woman may not necessarily stop at one drink, leading to more serious risks such as fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). It remains unclear as to what amount of drinking alcohol can lead to FAS for an individual woman but is clearer that it results in facial abnormalities, growth deficiencies, learning difficulties, poor coordination, and attention disorders. Therefore, many experts advise to not drink alcohol at all since a clear answer does not exist as to what amount is safe or too much for a pregnant woman.
If you have your own concerns or questions about consuming alcohol during pregnancy, it is advised that you talk to your prenatal care doctor.
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