Alcohol and pregnancy is a topic that has been around for generations. Some common questions and statements related to the use of alcohol during pregnancy include:
“Isn’t it OK to have a glass of wine or cider on a special occasion during pregnancy?”
“One drink won’t hurt, right?”
“My mom drank alcohol when she was pregnant – so it should be fine for me”
Since there isn’t enough evidence to know how much harm any amount of alcohol during pregnancy may have, no alcohol is the safest choice if you are pregnant or planning to be pregnant.
To ensure the best outcome for yourself and your baby, it is safest to stop drinking alcohol before trying to get pregnant or as soon as you know you are pregnant.
It is never too late to make healthy choices for you and your baby. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy or while trying to get pregnant may cause a baby to be born with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder or FASD.
What is FASD?
- FASD is a lifelong disability that has no cure.
- FASD is a term used to describe the range of lifelong physical, mental, behavioural and learning disabilities that only occurs in individuals whose birth mother drank alcohol during pregnancy.
FASD can be preventable.
September kicks off FASD Awareness month, with September 9th designated as International FASD Awareness Day. In support of FASD awareness, the CN Tower will be lit red in the evening of September 9th.
There is no safe amount, no safe kind and no safe time to drink alcohol if you’re pregnant or while trying to get pregnant.
For more info:
- Speak with your health care provider
- Connect with a public health nurse via eChat or call 416-338-7600
- FASD Ontario
- ThinkFASD (where are you at during the COVID-19 pandemic?)
- CanFASD
Photo credit: CanFASD
