Alcohol and Miscarriage

Alcohol and miscarriage is a subject that leaves many women confused. Is one drink okay? Is drinking during conception okay? Why should alcohol make a difference? The facts, below, will help to answer all of your questions about how alcohol affects miscarriage.

Drinking alcohol while pregnant happens. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, over 11 percent of women aged 15 to 44 drink alcohol during pregnancy.

A study published by Research Society on Alcoholism suggests that the number is even higher. Out of the 1131 women surveyed, 15 percent of them drank while pregnant. These numbers are sobering considering alcohol and miscarriage can go hand-in-hand.

During the first trimester of pregnancy, especially within the first ten weeks of development, the egg is very susceptible to harm. Toxins in things such as caffeine, cigarettes and alcohol can affect the chromosomes in an egg. When the chromosomes become faulty it can cause the fetus to stop growing. Many times the body will abort the egg, resulting in a miscarriage.

Though miscarriage is common in the first trimester of a pregnancy, drinking can also affect a baby in latter stages of growth, one of the most common being fetal alcohol syndrome.

Binge drinking is not only dangerous to the mother; it is also very deadly to the fetus.

A study done by the National Institute of Public Health in Copenhagen, Denmark found that episodes of binge drinking three or more times while pregnant can increase the risk of the baby being born dead, a condition also known as stillbirth.

The Reproductive Epidemiology Section at the Department of Health Services in Berkeley, California found that drinking seven or more drinks per week doubled the risk of spontaneous abortion during the first trimester.

Binge drinking isn’t the only cause of the link between miscarriage. Some women believe that just a few drinks won’t hurt, but scientific research says otherwise. Even small amounts can cause problems.

A study done by the Institute of Public Health and Department of Epidemiology at the University of Southern Denmark found that even modest amounts of alcohol, around five drinks a week, could increase the risk of miscarriage in the first trimester.

Many couple may be surprised to find that the male’s use of alcohol may affect the chances of a miscarriage in a pregnancy, as well.

According to a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, fathers who drink ten alcoholic drinks or more per week while trying to conceive are more likely to create pregnancies that miscarry than men who don’t drink.

Another study shows the opposite, stating that women and men who were drunk when the baby was conceived probably shouldn’t worry. The study, published in the Nutrition Research Newsletter, says that the use of alcohol before or during conception by either parent seems to not affect the fetus. Women and men who were drunk at the time of conception had the same rate of miscarriages as those who were sober.

No matter which research is more accurate, it is important to err on the side of caution when it comes to alcohol and miscarriages. Parents who are trying to conceive should probably stay clear of alcohol until after the baby is well on its way to a healthy birth.

• Winter Maternity Clothing
• Maternity Polo Shirts
• Summer Maternity Fashion
• Gender Selection and Conception
• Conception Myths

• How Soon Can I Take a Pregnancy Test
• Natural Ways to Induce Labor
• How to Conceive a Boy
• How to Conceive a Girl
• Early Pregnancy Symptoms

• Vaginal Itching
• External Vaginal Itching
• Chances of Miscarriage
• Spontaneous Abortion
• Conceiving after Miscarriage