This sheet talks about exposure to alcohol in pregnancy and while breastfeeding. This information should not take the place of medical care and advice from your healthcare provider. What is alcohol? Alcohol, ethanol and ethyl alcohol are all names for the ingredient in beer, wine, or hard liquor that gives an intoxicating effect to the drinker. The same amount of alcohol is found in a standard serving of beer (12 ounces), wine (4-5 ounces), or hard liquor (1.5 ounces). I drink alcohol. …
The Baby Blog: Alcohol
Alcohol
A Known Cause of Lifelong Birth Defects Disclaimer: This page houses important information and resources pertaining to alcohol during pregnancy and while breastfeeding, including links to our evidence-based Fact Sheets. However, the resources here should not replace the care and advice of a medical professional. Alcohol is known to cause birth defects when it is consumed during pregnancy. It especially targets a baby’s brain, which is developing throughout all 40 weeks of pregnancy. There …
Depression
In every pregnancy, a woman starts out with a 3-5% chance of having a baby with a birth defect. This is called her background risk. This sheet talks about whether exposure to depression may increase the risk for birth defects over that background risk. This information should not take the place of medical care and advice from your health care provider. What is depression and how common is it in pregnancy? Depression is a serious medical illness. It can change how someone feels, thinks and …
Kombucha and Pregnancy: Answers to Your Brewing Questions
Kombucha: fizzy, fermented, and full of probiotics. Some people drink kombucha for its fun effervescence and wide range of fruity flavors. Others, for its alleged health benefits ranging from improved digestion to lowered blood sugar. The increasing popularity of kombucha has not surprisingly led to an increased number of inquiries to MotherToBaby about the safety of drinking it during pregnancy. Carly, a recent visitor to our online chat service, explained that she had been drinking kombucha …
Episode 15: 5 Tips for Birth Defects Prevention: Part 2
Chris Stallman, a certified genetic counselor, teratogen information specialist and mother of three (soon four), continues her conversation with two experts and new moms from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to talk about the five tips for preventing birth defects, which includes the importance of a healthy weight and boosting your health by avoiding harmful substances during pregnancy. Harmful substances discussed include alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. The tips are part of the …
