No alcohol is the only safe option when a person is trying to become pregnant, if they think they might be pregnant or if they know they are pregnant. Alcohol use during this time can result in serious lifelong harm for a developing baby.
Following Canada’s Guidance on Alcohol and Health can reduce the risk of a wide range of health problems for everyone.
Alcohol affects many organs in the body. Even a small amount of alcohol can be harmful to health. The more alcohol you drink per week, the more problems can add up.
Following Canada’s Guidance on Alcohol and Health can reduce the risk of developing long-term health problems including:
-different types of cancers such as breast and colon cancer
-heart disease and stroke
-liver disease
It can also decrease your risk of injury and violence.
Amount of Alcohol per week
The more alcohol you drink per week, the more problems can happen:
0 drinks per week- No Risk. Not drinking has benefits, like better health and better sleep.
1-2 standard drinks per week- Low Risk. You will likely avoid risks linked to alcohol use.
3-6 standard drinks per week- Moderate Risk. Your risk of developing some types of cancer, including breast and colon cancer increases.
7 or more standard drinks per week- Increasingly High Risk. Your risk of heart disease or stroke increases. Each standard drink greatly increases the risk of problems linked to alcohol use.
Drinking less is better gives examples of what a standard drink means.
Alcohol can affect a person’s menstrual cycles. This can include irregular periods and changing when menopause starts (ending of her menstrual cycle). The amount of alcohol that can cause problems can be different for different people. The more alcohol that you use and the more often you drink, the higher your risk.
Alcohol can affect a person’s ability to get an erection and affect their sperm. The amount of alcohol that can cause problems can be different for different people. However, the more alcohol you use, the higher your risks.
Note: For people who are pregnant, who are trying to become pregnant, or who may be pregnant, no alcohol is the only safe option.
Alcohol isn’t safe at any time during pregnancy.
Alcohol use can affect a developing baby at any stage during pregnancy.
There’s no known amount or type of alcohol that’s safe during pregnancy. If you’re pregnant, might be pregnant or are planning to become pregnant the safest choice is to drink no alcohol at all.
Alcohol can affect the earliest stages of a baby’s development—before a person may even know they’re pregnant. This can affect the baby for the rest of their life.
Alcohol use at any time during pregnancy can lead to the baby developing Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). FASD has lifelong effects. These effects include physical, emotional and mental disabilities. There’s no cure for FASD.
Read more on FASD and a healthy pregnancy.
Learn more about alcohol use during pregnancy.
Alcohol passes through the placenta to the developing baby. This means it can lead to the baby developing fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). When the baby’s developing organs are exposed to alcohol, this can lead to damage in the brain and other organs. This damage can’t be fixed or treated.
The damage can cause physical, emotional and mental disabilities.
1 in 100 babies born in Canada is affected by FASD.
Alcohol use during pregnancy may also lead to
Learn more about the effects of alcohol in a developing baby here.
People use alcohol for many different reasons. Some people use alcohol to celebrate with friends and family, for stress relief, or when they feel worried or anxious.
If you choose to drink alcohol, drinking less reduces your risk of health problems, injury and violence. It’s important to remember that drinking alcohol is not risk-free. If you are trying to become pregnant, no alcohol is the only safe option.
Some people may find that their alcohol use is stopping them from enjoying day-to-day life.
Here are a few signs that alcohol use may be causing problems.
If you are concerned about your drinking, or the drinking habits of your partner, call the AHS Addiction Helpline, toll-free, 24/7 at 1-866-332-2322, or for more info and to find services in your area go to AHS Addiction & Mental Health.
It can be hard to ask for help because of the stigma of alcohol use or the worry of being judged by others.
It’s never too late to make healthy changes to your alcohol use. Ask for help and support if you have concerns about someone’s alcohol use.
There are many resources and services to help you or someone you know with concerns about alcohol use.
If you are concerned about your drinking, or the drinking habits of your partner, call the AHS Addiction Helpline, toll-free, 24/7 at 1-866-332-2322, or for more info and to find services in your area go to AHS Addiction & Mental Health.
Ready or Not contains a lot of information. So we created My To-Do List for you to use as a personal reminder, share with your partner, or bring to your next check-up.
Be sure to click “Add this to my To-Do List” anytime you see something you want to print, email, save, or share. Because we do not ask for any personal information, your list will only be saved for a week after your last added item.
