Pregnancy and alcohol

This message has been endorsed by many organisations, including Health NZ | Te Whatu Ora, the Health Promotion Agency, the New Zealand College of Midwives, the New Zealand Nurses Organisation, the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners, Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa, and the Paediatric Society of New Zealand.

• Not drinking alcohol during pregnancy is the safest option.
• During pregnancy, alcohol can be transferred to your baby through the placenta and umbilical cord affecting your pēpi's development.
• This includes all types of alcoholic drinks including beer, wine, cider, spirits and ready-to-drinks (RTDs).
• This can happen at any stage of pregnancy, even before a woman knows she is pregnant.
• If you’re trying to get pregnant be alcohol-free.
• If you do drink alcohol and there is a chance you could become pregnant use effective contraception (birth control).
• Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a condition caused by the developing baby being exposed to alcohol. It has lifelong impacts on individuals, their whānau, carers and the wider community. 
• Prenatal exposure to alcohol can also increase the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth and premature birth.
• It is never too late. Stopping your drinking will increase the chances that your baby will be born healthy.

Video: If you could be pregnant, stop drinking alcohol

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(Counties Manukau Health, NZ, 2019)

Alcohol is a teratogen (a substance that may cause foetal abnormality) and can be transferred prenatally through the placenta and umbilical cord affecting the normal development of your baby. When you are pregnant, every time you drink alcohol, your baby is drinking alcohol too. Your baby can’t break down alcohol as well as you can and exposure to alcohol can seriously affect their development.

Prenatal (before birth) alcohol exposure can increase the risk of: 

• miscarriage and stillbirth
• low birth weight and premature birth
• a range of life-long problems known as foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD).

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is a condition that can occur as a result of prenatal exposure to alcohol. Problems can include brain damage and physical birth defects. Problems may be seen after birth, or they may not be noticeable until the child is older, when they may have trouble learning or socialising or have behavioural problems. FASD can be difficult to diagnose because not all children live or experience FASD in the same way. FASD can create life long challenges, eg, learning, speech, attention span, language and aggression problems.

Image credit: 123rf

There is no known safe amount of alcohol, even small amounts of alcohol can harm a baby’s development. But it is not known at which point – if any – the risk completely disappears. Therefore, to avoid harming your baby/pēpi, it is best not to drink any alcohol at any stage during pregnancy. This includes the time around conception (getting pregnant). 

The first thing to do is stop drinking alcohol. It is never too late. Stopping your drinking will increase the chances that your baby will be born healthy.

If you are concerned or are unable to stop, talk with your midwife or GP. It is not usually possible to know if your baby will be affected until after birth or in childhood.

For women who could be pregnant, are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, stop drinking alcohol. There is no known safe level of alcohol at any stage of pregnancy.

For non-pregnant women, health professionals advise:

• no more than 2 standard drinks daily
• no more than 10 standard drinks a week
• at least 2 alcohol-free days per week
• no more than 4 standard drinks on any single occasion.

Read more about low-risk drinking advice.(external link)

• If you are trying to get pregnant, stop drinking.
• Sometimes it can be hard to say ‘no’ to an alcoholic drink, and you might not want to share the news that you are pregnant – especially if it’s early in the pregnancy. 
• If you are socialising or going to an event, ask a friend (who knows you're pregnant) to go with you. You can be alcohol-free together.
• Switch your alcoholic drinks for non-alcoholic alternatives, such as juice or lime and soda. There are plenty of zero-alcohol drinks available. Water and milk are good choices.
• When you're ready to share you're pregnancy news, let your whānau and friends know why you are not drinking and ask them to support you in this decision.

If stopping drinking is difficult for you, or you are concerned about your drinking, there are organisations and people who can help you. Your midwife or GP can discuss ways you can stay healthy during pregnancy, answer your questions, or put you in touch with others who can help.

The Alcohol Drug Helpline(external link) is also here for you. Contact them on 0800 787 797 or free text 8681, 24 hours, 7 days a week.

Otherwise you can contact these organisations:

• Community Alcohol and Drug Services(external link) Free phone 0800 845 1818
• Support for family and friends(external link) Al-Anon
• 12 Step Plan(external link) Alcoholics Anonymous
• Alcohol  & Drug addiction services, including the Bridge programme(external link)

Evidence and research from the NZ Health Promotion Agency (HPA)