[joe500]

I'm 25 weeks preganent and only found out two week ago, I have been going out more or less every weekend and drinking I'm really scared of what I have done to my unborn child.the scan was OK. All I really want to no is what does drinking do when peganent.

[J_9]

Here are just a few possibilities

Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can cause a number of birth defects, ranging from mild to severe. These include mental retardation; learning, emotional and behavioral problems; and defects involving the heart, face and other organs. The term "fetal alcohol spectrum disorder" is used to describe the many problems associated with exposure to alcohol before birth. The most severe of these is fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), a combination of physical and mental birth defects.

Consuming alcohol during pregnancy also increases the risk of miscarriage, low birthweight (less than 5 1/2 pounds) and stillbirth. A 2002 Danish study found that women who drank five or more drinks a week were three times more likely to have a stillborn baby than women who had less than one drink a week (4).

Drinking Alcohol During Pregnancy - March of Dimes

STOP NOW!! Take your prenatals, keep your doctor's appointments, and by all means let the doctor know that you had been drinking. It is important that he know this in order to be prepared for any problems that may arise during labor and delivery.