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: Cannabis
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 …
Episode 3: Marijuana during Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Now that marijuana is legal is many states, pregnant women are asking, is it ok to consume during pregnancy? How about breastfeeding? MotherToBaby Podcast host Chris Stallman, a certified genetic counselor and mother, takes questions from moms around the country about the known safety of marijuana products during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. World-renowned epidemiologist Christina Chambers, PhD, MPH, a University of California San Diego professor whose groundbreaking marijuana in …
Birth Defects Prevention Month Series- Alcohol, Smoking and Other Drugs: Why Ten Fingers Plus Ten Toes Doesn’t Always Equal the Whole Story
By Lauren Kozlowski, MSW, MPH, MotherToBaby Georgia Carly called and I could hear the stress in her voice immediately. She had been smoking marijuana on weekends and having a glass of wine most evenings with her dinner. She just found out she was pregnant with her fifth child. Carly knew her baby could suffer if she did not change her use of alcohol and marijuana. Carly was scared, so she contacted MotherToBaby. We were able to discuss what kinds of risk the substances she had used may have, …
Asking Questions That Count When Considering Adoption
By Kirstie Perrotta, MPH, MotherToBaby California Cara and her husband Mark were contacting MotherToBaby for the first time. “Our adoption counselor just called - we have been matched with a potential birth mom this morning and she’s due next Friday!” Cara blurted out excitedly. “The counselor said you would be able to tell us about the baby’s exposure to heroin and Klonopin. I don’t know how much she used, or when she stopped. We need to make a decision today.” As a Teratogen Information …
