Can I drink alcohol during pregnancy?

St John of God Subiaco Hospital Head of Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and member of the National Health and Medical Research Council Dr Michael Gannon explains why there is no safe time or amount of alcohol to drink when pregnant.

15 Jan 2021

When a woman drinks alcohol during pregnancy, the blood alcohol level of the baby is similar to that of the mother.

Therefore, even small amounts of alcohol during pregnancy can be harmful.

This is why the National Health and Medical Research Council guidelines stipulate that women who are pregnant, planning a pregnancy or breastfeeding should not consume alcoholic drinks.

During the early stages of pregnancy, important organs such as the heart, brain and kidneys are developing.

Throughout the second and third trimester, the sophisticated networks that make the brain form.

Prenatal exposure to alcohol can damage the baby's brain, and lead to physical, mental and behavioural disabilities, known as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).

FASD is the leading preventable cause of non-genetic, developmental disability in Australia.

As many as 2% of all Australian babies are born with some form of FASD, impacting their ability to learn, process accurate decision making and perform simple tasks.

For more information and support, please visit alcoholthinkagain.com.au

This news article is part of the Mental Health Commission's Alcohol and Pregnancy campaign.