1 in 13 pregnant women drink alcohol, CDC says

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(CBS News) Drinking alcohol during pregnancy is the leading preventable cause of birth defects and developmental disabilities in children, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

But according to a new report, that's not stopping pregnant women from drinking.

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In the latest issue of its journal Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the CDC investigates drinking rates among pregnant women, and finds about one in 13 pregnant women drink. Of those women, almost one in five reported binge drinking - having four or more drinks in about two hours - during pregnancy.

The CDC says there is no known safe amount of alcohol or safe time to drink while pregnant.

Researchers looked at self-reports on drinking habits from 345,076 women ages 18 to 44 years old who were a part of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data pool collected from 2006 to 2010. Of these women, 13,880 - or 4 percent - were pregnant.

Those who were most likely to report alcohol use during pregnancy were between the ages of 35 and 44 (14 percent of pregnant women), white (8 percent), college graduates (10 percent) and were employed (almost 10 percent).

For comparison, 4.5 percent of pregnant women between 18 and 24 reported drinking.

Women who said they engaged in binge drinking during pregnancy reported an average of doing so three times per month and with six drinks per occasion. Binging episodes were highest among 18 to 24-year-old pregnant women. Pregnant women who were employed were nearly 2.5 times more likely to engage in binge drinking compared with pregnant women who weren't employed. Unmarried pregnant women were three times more likely to binge drink than their married counterparts.

"These results indicate that binge drinking during pregnancy continues to be a concern," wrote the researchers, led by the CDC's Claire M. Marchetta.

The authors acknowledge study limitations, such as the data being self-reported and subject to biases, which can lead to understimates. The survey was also only given to people with landline phones, which may have skewed rates.

The CDC says drinking while pregnant may lead to fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), which include fetal alcohol syndrome, alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder, and alcohol-related birth defects. Fetal alcohol syndrome is considered the most severe end of the FASD-spectrum, and may lead to problems with learning, memory, vision or hearing. Drinking during pregnancy can also lead to fetal death.

However In June, five Danish studies published in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology found that low to moderate levels of drinking during pregnancy may not cause neurological or psychological damage to children by the time they turned 5.

At time Dr. Jacquelyn Bertrand, a child psychologist and senior scientist at the CDC's National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities - who co-authored three of the studies - said the research does not change the CDC's recommendation.

"We have a long history that alcohol causes birth defects," Bertrand said in June, adding that low levels of drinking have been tied to risk for miscarriage, premature birth or stillbirth. "Drinking during pregnancy is just not worth the risk."

[charleshaire]

As a 43 year FAS survivor I find this very disturbing. I have many probems as a result of my mother drinking durring her pregnancy. I have short term memory loss and I require help managing my day to day life. What really needs to be examined is the long term cost to taxpayers as a result of FAS. Driniking is not safe at any level . This is the message that needs to be getting out and those professionals who keep saying it's ok to drink need to be stopped. What they need to do is live with someone who HAS FAS for a day and I bet they would change their minds really fast.

[Sheryl9]

The title of the cbs news article is wrong. The study does not tell what percent of women pregnant women drink alcohol. It tells what percent of women REPORT drinking alcohol. Big difference.

[alphaa10000]

CBS reports, "... Those who were most likely to report alcohol use during pregnancy were between the ages of 35 and 44 (14 percent of pregnant women), white (8 percent), college graduates (10 percent) and were employed (almost 10 percent).
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This demographic is a signature for many office professional women, and evidence the species will have a single generation. Pity the poor kids.

[genpobox]

"The CDC says there is no known safe amount of alcohol or safe time to drinking while pregnant." Perhaps they should read a recent study, link provided, which discusses that drinking in moderation shows no difference in the functioning of the infants born. Babies for centuries had been born in Europe where mothers had a glass of wine or beer for dinner with no complications, because, in general, drinking was done responsibly. There will always be those who abuse but not everyone should be condemned for their actions.

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/news/articles/2012/06/20/moderate-drinking-during-pregnancy-has-no-effect-on-young-children-study

[ultraskygod]

A friend's sister was born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. She was severely retarded her entire (relatively short) life. Her mom drank (and drinks) heavily.