Is it safe to drink just 1 glass of light beer or wine during pregnancy?

Question

I suspect that I might be pregnant and I had 1 light beer last saturday...

Answer 1

You're fine. I was smoking and drinking 8 weeks before I found out I was pregnant. I have a healthy 3 month old now. Just don't drink any more!

Answer 2

I think it would be fine. Some doctor's say that you can drink a half a glass of wine a day, some say none at all, really depends on the doctor you talk to. I do believe that a glass of wine once while you're pregnant would not harm the baby at all. Women in France drink more wine than water, even while pregnant... and the majority of them and their babies are doing just fine... I had a glass of wine when I was pregnant with my second child... on my anniversary too! and I can tell you, my child came out perfectly fine and he still is... it's a personal choice, up to you...

Answer 3

Quite fine.

"The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists recently conducted a large study including 400,000 American women, all of whom had consumed alcohol during pregnancy. Not a single case of fetal alcohol syndrome occurred and no adverse effects on children were found when consumption was under 8.5 drinks per week. 3

A recent review of research studies found that fetal alcohol syndrome only occurs among alcoholics. The evidence is clear that there is no apparent risk to a child when the pregnant woman consumes no more than one drink per day. 4"

http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/FetalAlcoholSyndrome.html

The above poster is right that the "eek, any amount is bad, never ever drink" is just meant to scare off idiots. Very small amounts of light beer, small glasses of wine, are possibly beneficial, and NOT the cause of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.

See also:

"Lipp and Whitten, whose "To Your Health" was published in 1995, are among an increasing number of doctors and researchers who feel that pregnant women have no reason to fear drinking a glass of wine every day. As revealed by contributing editor Thomas Matthews in the August 31, 1994 issue of the "Wine Spectator" magazine which was devoted largely to this controversy, "there is even new research that shows that moderate drinking during pregnancy may actually help the development of the child after birth.""

http://dovercanyon.typepad.com/women_wine_critics_board/2006/01/wine_and_pregna.html

Answer 4

Well obviously if you're in the early stages like that then no, it can't do any harm yet. But if you know believe you might, don't drink anymore until you are sure. And I heard now that dr's don't recommend drinking at all, but I had a half glass of red wine, and I was fine. But I wasn't doing it all the time, and I didn't smoke or drink heavy liquor or anything like that.

Answer 5

Gynaecologists recommends that the only way to be absolutely certain that your baby is not harmed by alcohol is not to drink at all during pregnancy or while you are trying for a baby.

If you do drink, you should:

* not drink more than a safe amount, which is defined as not more than one or two units, not more than once or twice per week (see section ‘How is alcohol measured?’)
* avoid binge drinking (see section on ‘What is binge drinking?’) and becoming drunk.

To ensure you stay within the recommended amount, you need to check:

* how strong your drink is
* how large your glass is
* how full your glass is.

Now if you confirm that you are preg. Dont take any more alcohol. =)

Answer 6

Yep you're fine. Relax. Some extremists say to avoid alcohol altogether, but I think that's just for the idiots that continue to drink a lot. I'm 7.5 months pregnant and have had the odd glass of champagne here and there. I only ever have one glass though.

Answer 7

you are fine. most doctors dont mind that you have 1 light beer and or 1 wine. your fine, as long as its only 1 a day or even 1 per week would be fine.

Answer 8

there are no studies to tell just how much alcohol is too much during early pregnancy. however, since you had just one glass, I would assume that everything should be fine. just dont do anymore drinking until you find out for sure, just to be on the same side.

Answer 9

So tiki goddess was lucky, but I wouldnt risk drinking knowing you might be preggers. If you think you might be DONT DRINK. If you are worried talk to your doctor. I had a few drinks a week before i found out with my 2nd and a month befor my 3rd. They are fine but my doctor spent a lot of time trying to calm my fears. I hope everything works out for you, and congratulations if it turns out your preggers.

Answer 10

No, alcohol is not safe at any time or in any amount for your unborn baby.

Please read "Damaged Angels : an adoptive mother discovers the tragic toll of alcohol in pregnancy" by Bonnie Buxton

The most common cause of brain damage before birth (called congenital neurological deficits) is alcohol intake by the mother during pregnancy. Alcohol intake during pregnancy causes a wide range of damage to an unborn child and results in many different disorders (called fetal alcohol spectrum disorder). The degree of damage varies according to the amount of alcohol consumed and the particular time of pregnancy that the alcohol is consumed. Other factors such as maternal nutrition also contribute to the variation in the effects on the baby. A pattern of binge drinking is considered the most damaging (large amounts of alcohol consumed rapidly). In the first trimester of pregnancy, alcohol interferes with the organization of brain cells. Weeks 3-8 of fetal development are considered to be an especially critical period for brain damage from alcohol exposure. Exposure to heavy drinking between the 10th and 20th week is most likely to cause the physical features (often known as fetal alcohol syndrome). In the third trimester the baby's hippocampus is most affected, leading to learning problems such as difficulties with reading and math.

Mild damage is described as fetal alcohol effect (FAE). There is a continuum of effects of alcohol exposure, and the new term for this range of conditions is fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Mild damage will include decreased intellectual function, visual problems, and high pain tolerance. Most children will be shorter and lighter than average for their ages.

About 85% of children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder have characteristic facial features (wide-set eyes, thin upper lip, flat nasal philtrum, small head size called microcephaly). The degree of facial involvement does not correlate with the degree of brain dysfunction for the child, making the hidden effects of alcohol exposure the most damaging to the child, long-term.

Other children do not have characteristic facial features but have significant brain damage affecting their intellectual function and judgment (termed fetal alcohol effect). Some researchers divide the physical features of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder into three categories: 1) Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) where children have all the facial characteristics of prenatal alcohol exposure; 2) Partial Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (PFAS) with only partial facial characteristics; and, 3) Alcohol-Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder (ARND) with little facial deformity. Regardless of the terminology, fetal exposure to alcohol has a very serious effect on the developing brain, and its effects continue throughout life.

Some preliminary research shows that the father's alcohol use may also affect the unborn child's intellectual and social development.