So what about alcohol? You may have heard that moderate consumption of a drink or two a week is safe in pregnancy. The truth is that there is absolutely no known safe level of alcohol intake in pregnancy, and even a single beer or glass of wine may have an impact on the development of your unborn child. Bottom line — complete abstinence is the safest route for baby. That said, if you have had a cocktail since conception, perhaps before you even discovered you were pregnant, there is no point is obsessing over it. Letting the incident consume you with guilt or allowing it to become a source of undue stress is bad for you and baby. Instead focus your energies on living a healthy lifestyle now.

If you have a drinking or substance abuse problem, seeking help early in your pregnancy is imperative. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) can be a source of steadfast support and inspiration. AA meetings are free of charge and easily accessible, with over 52,000 groups in the United States. Call the AA General Service office at 212-870-3400 to find one in your area.

The consequences of continuing alcohol use during pregnancy range from risking miscarriage to causing an array of physical, mental, behavioral, and developmental problems known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). One of the most severe is fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Babies born with FAS experience growth retardation, central nervous system problems, as well as develop characteristic facial features including small eye openings, a small head, a short upturned nose, absence of the groove between the upper lip and the nose, and an undeveloped outer ear. FAS is permanent and irreversible.

Central nervous system (CNS) difficulties can prevent newborns from being able to suckle and can create conditions in children of tremulousness, hyperactivity, low IQ, behavioral problems, learning disabilities, and language delays. More specifically, alcohol consumption in the first trimester of pregnancy is responsible for the facial anomalies of FAS, while growth retardation, birth defects, and CNS problems can be triggered by drinking at any point in pregnancy. Children with only some of these symptoms (for example, CNS problems and growth retardation, but not facial anomalies) are classified as having fetal alcohol effects (FAE), alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disabilities (ARND), or alcohol-related birth defects (ARBD).

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that approximately one in every 1,000 live births results in fetal alcohol syndrome, at a cost of approximately $4 billion annually. Although there are no official statistics on fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, it is estimated that they occur three times as often as fetal alcohol syndrome.

Since the first eight weeks of pregnancy are a time of rapid development for the limbs, heart, central nervous system, and other organ systems of the embryo, it's important now before it's too late to get a handle on even occasional drinking, not to mention binge or frequent drinking. Talk to your health care provider about treatment options, or turn to your church or local social service agency for support.