{"id":24719,"date":"2025-02-15T18:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-02-15T18:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/?p=24719"},"modified":"2025-07-02T11:40:41","modified_gmt":"2025-07-02T11:40:41","slug":"alcohol-and-pregnancy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/blog\/pregnancy\/alcohol-and-pregnancy\/","title":{"rendered":"Alcohol and pregnancy: what are the risks?"},"content":{"rendered":"

You\u2019ve probably heard it often and you\u2019ll continue to hear it: drinking alcohol during pregnancy is strongly discouraged<\/strong>. Alcohol can indeed have harmful effects on your health and that of your baby.<\/span><\/p>\n

Alcohol and pregnancy: here\u2019s everything you need to know.<\/span><\/p>\n

Alcohol and pregnancy: what are we talking about?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Alcohol can be found in various types of drinks and at different levels<\/strong>: wine, beer, champagne, aperitifs (muscat, port, etc.), so-called \u201cstrong\u201d spirits (vodka, rum, whisky, etc.). Traces can also be found in fermented drinks<\/strong> like kefir, especially when homemade, as well as in certain sauce-based dishes<\/strong>. Cooking does not guarantee 100% evaporation of the alcohol used in a recipe.<\/span>
\nIt is recommended to refrain from drinking alcohol during pregnancy<\/strong>, regardless of the stage of pregnancy and regardless of the quantity. Scientific studies cannot currently establish if there is a safe level of alcohol for the baby.<\/span><\/p>\n

Note: According to the 2021 National Perinatal Survey, 3%<\/strong> of pregnant women reported having consumed alcohol during their pregnancy. This figure is probably underestimated<\/strong> due to reporting bias: since it\u2019s strongly discouraged, some women may downplay their consumption when interviewed by healthcare professionals.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Alcohol<\/p>\n

Alcohol and pregnancy: risks for your health and your baby\u2019s health<\/span><\/h2>\n

Alcohol crosses the placental barrier<\/strong> and reaches the fetus <\/span>in utero<\/span><\/i>. According to Sant\u00e9 Publique France, alcohol consumption during pregnancy is the leading cause of non-genetic intellectual disability<\/strong> in children in France.<\/span>
\nAlcohol is therefore a dangerous substance for your health in general, and especially during pregnancy<\/strong> as it can also have disastrous consequences on the health of your fetus<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Risks to the mother\u2019s health<\/span><\/h3>\n

Drinking alcohol during pregnancy is associated with a higher risk of<\/strong>:<\/span><\/p>\n