Learn More About Your Pregnancy
Smoking, Alcohol and Drug Use During Pregnancy
Q:
My grandma said she had a glass of wine every now and then when she was pregnant, but my sister says NO alcohol at all while pregnant. Who is right?
Sister
Correct!
Drinking at any time during pregnancy can cause problems. If you drink while pregnant, the same amount of alcohol that is in your blood will reach your baby's blood.
Grandma
Incorrect!
Drinking at any time during pregnancy can cause problems. If you drink while pregnant, the same amount of alcohol that is in your blood will reach your baby's blood.
Substance abuse during pregnancy will harm your baby. If you use alcohol, tobacco products, or drugs, tell your provider as soon as you become pregnant so they can help you quit for your health and the health of your baby.
Why alcohol hurts your baby
If you drink while pregnant, the same amount of alcohol that is in your blood will reach your baby’s blood. The more a pregnant woman drinks, the greater the danger to her baby. Drinking at any time during pregnancy can cause problems.
Drinking alcohol during pregnancy:
- Increases the risk of miscarriage.
- Increases the risk of a preterm baby.
- Increases the risk of disabilities.
- Heavy drinking can cause fetal alcohol syndrome. Fetal alcohol syndrome is a pattern of major physical, mental, and behavior problems in babies that were exposed to alcohol during pregnancy. The problems can last throughout the life of the child.
Create a new habit during pregnancy:
- Have a cup of herbal tea instead.
- Go for a walk.
- Do something to set up the nursery to distract yourself AND help you prepare for your baby.
Instead of alcohol, try a “mocktail”
Recipe: Mango Mule
Ingredients:
- 4-5 slices of cucumber
- 1 oz. honey syrup
- 1.5 oz. mango puree
- 1.5 oz. fresh lime juice
- 1.5 oz. ginger beer
- Ice
Directions: Muddle cucumber and honey syrup in the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Add the mango puree and lime juice and shake with ice. Strain into a copper mug. Top with ginger beer and stir.
Recipe: Virgin Cucumber Gimlet
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz. club soda
- 4-5 slices of muddled cucumber
- 1 oz. fresh lime juice
- 1 oz. simple syrup
Directions: Combine all ingredients and shake with ice. Serve over crushed ice and garnish with a rolled cucumber slice.
Why smoking hurts your baby
If you smoke during pregnancy your baby is exposed to harmful chemicals such as tar, nicotine, and carbon monoxide. Nicotine causes blood vessels to constrict, so less oxygen and fewer nutrients reach your baby. Carbon monoxide lowers the amount of oxygen your baby receives.
Pregnant women who smoke are more likely to have:
- Ectopic pregnancy.
- Vaginal bleeding.
- Placenta problems.
- Stillbirth.
Why drugs hurt your baby
Most drugs reach your baby by crossing the placenta. Drugs that may cause problems for you and your baby during pregnancy:
- Marijuana smoked or ingested by the mother affects the baby. Babies born to mothers that have used marijuana may grow slower and have problems with their nervous system.
- Cocaine is a very addictive drug that can cause preterm birth. Babies born to mothers that have used cocaine may grow more slowly and be more irritable or fussy.
- Heroin can cause preterm birth or even cause your baby to die. Babies born to mothers that use heroin during pregnancy may be smaller, have trouble thinking clearly, and have behavioral problems.
- Methamphetamines (“meth”) raises the mother’s blood pressure and heart rate and puts both she and baby at risk of stroke, brain damage, premature birth, and miscarriage. Babies born to moms using meth may also grow too slowly during pregnancy, have trouble bonding with others, and be very fussy.
