A new report from government health officials suggests that young women who are old enough to become pregnant should avoid alcohol unless they’re using birth control. The idea that the pleasures and routines that make up women’s days are mere luxuries that are not worth any risk whatsoever is patronizing and sexist, and it would also turn their lives into complete hell if really taken to its conclusion. “Why take the chance?” While most women know not to drink alcohol while pregnant, the CDC is now stating consuming booze should be limited if there is any possibility you could get pregnant.
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AAP pointed to surveys showing that 8 percent of Americans drink while pregnant and another study showing “increased risk of infant growth retardation even when a pregnant woman’s consumption was limited to 1 alcoholic drink per day”. While it’s commonplace for Ob/Gyns to recommend that women who are trying to get pregnant stop drinking, the stakes aren’t so high for every single sexually active woman out there.
“Alcohol can permanently harm a developing baby before a woman knows she is pregnant”.
Risks are especially high for women who binge drink repeatedly over the course of their pregnancy, but even drinking in the first four to six weeks of pregnancy (before a woman can tell she is pregnant) is risky, the CDC warned.
A CDC report in 2015 found that one in 10 pregnant women in the United States reported drinking alcohol in the previous 30 days, and 3% reported binging – defined as four or more alcoholic drinks in two to three hours.
Babies with fetal alcohol syndrome are more likely to be born small and to develop problems of the heart, kidney and brain, according to the CDC. At most one in 20 US children may have a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, according to the CDC.
Alcohol is a teratogen that can cause lifelong problems for the developing fetus, including mental health disorders, social problems and difficulty with school and holding a job, substance abuse disorders, and problems living independently. Additional services may also be necessary for a woman who needs help to stop drinking.
Ob-gyns should routinely screen women regarding their alcohol use, both before and during pregnancy, and should provide support for women to stop use of alcohol when planning a pregnancy or when becoming pregnant. There is no known amount of alcohol that’s safe to consume while pregnant, according to the agency.
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Boyle’s declaration on the absolute harms of alcohol use during pregnancy, though echoed by organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, isn’t as concrete as it appears.
