I drank heavily during the first month of pregnancy

Pregnant women are strongly urged not to drink alcohol during pregnancy.

Drinking alcohol while pregnant has been shown to cause harm to a baby as it develops in the womb.

I drank alcohol before i knew i was pregnant

Alcohol used during pregnancy may also lead to long-term medical problems and birth defects.

When a pregnant woman drinks alcohol, the alcohol travels through her blood and into the baby's blood, tissues, and organs.

Alcohol breaks down much more slowly in the baby's body than in an adult. That means the baby's blood alcohol level remains increased longer than the mother's. This can harm the baby and can sometimes lead to lifelong damage.

DANGERS OF ALCOHOL DURING PREGNANCY

Drinking a lot of alcohol during pregnancy can lead to a group of defects in the baby known as fetal alcohol syndrome.

Symptoms can include:

• Behavior and attention problems
• Heart defects
• Changes in the shape of the face
• Poor growth before and after birth
• Poor muscle tone and problems with movement and balance
• Problems with thinking and speech
• Learning problems

These medical problems are lifelong and c

when must you stop drinking when pregnant

when should you stop alcohol when pregnant