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Alcohol

Drinking alcohol at any time during your pregnancy can cause serious health problems for your baby. There is no known safe amount of alcohol to consume during pregnancy; Therefore, it is safer to avoid it altogether.

Drinking alcohol is associated with many health consequences for your baby:

  • Premature birth
  • Poor fetal growth, especially with brain development
  • Birth defects such as heart, hearing or vision impairments
  • Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs)
  • Low birthweight
  • Miscarriage
  • Stillbirth

 

FASD

  • Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) refers to an assortment of conditions due to a mother who drank during pregnancy. Symptoms include:
    • Low body weight
    • Hyperactive behavior
    • Poor memory, difficulty with attention
    • Learning disabilities
    • Speech and language delays
    • Vision and hearing problems
    • Heart, kidney, or bone problems
  • There is no cure for FASDs, however early intervention treatment services can help to improve your child’s development.

 

Treatment 

  • Seek help if you can’t stop drinking and trying to get pregnant or are pregnant. Visit Addicted.org to find Drug and Alcohol Detox Rehabilitation Centers for Pregnant Women in Illinois. Call 800-304-2219 to get in contact with a counselor to find the best center for you.