Alcohol and pregnancy

Think you might be or just discovered that you’re pregnant?

You might be aware that certain foods should be avoided or limited due to the potential harm that they can cause in pregnancy but did you know it’s advised that alcohol should be avoided too?

If you are pregnant (or could become so), the UK Chief Medical Officer’s advice is that no alcohol is the safest option.

Find out more about alcohol and pregnancy 

Drinking in pregnancy can increase the chances of miscarriage and may lead to life-long harm to the baby, with the more you drink, the greater the risk. A baby’s brain and body develop during the entire pregnancy, alcohol can affect this development and result in a number of physical, emotional and developmental difficulties.

Looking after yourself and keeping healthy will give your baby the best start in life.

 

I’ve discovered I’m pregnant and I’ve been drinking

If you’ve only drunk small amounts of alcohol before you knew you were pregnant the risks to your baby are likely to be low. The most important thing you can do now is stop drinking. If you need support, speak to your midwife or GP. They are still available to support you throughout your pregnancy.

If you think that you have a problem with alcohol, and are pregnant, contact your GP surgery or local alcohol service for advice and support to help you cut down and stop drinking.  

Drinkline provides advice for anyone who is worried about their own or someone else’s drinking – phone 0800 731 4314, available Monday to Friday, 9am to 9pm and Saturday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm.

Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs has a comprehensive Service Finder tool you can use to find support in your local area, including local recovery communities.

The Scottish Recovery Consortium also provide details of where you can access support across Scotland if you’re struggling with an alcohol or other drug problem.

The Alcoholics Anonymous website also allows you to search for meetings in your local area by post code.