Misinformation Online & in the Media
We get bombarded by information from every place we turn. Sometimes, it’s hard to tell who to trust when getting information on alcohol and pregnancy. We are driven by the proof that FASD is 100% preventable.
I've read online or heard from my friends that it's ok to have a drink every now and then when you're pregnant?
Maybe your friends have said there’s no harm in having a drink once in a while during pregnancy, or you’ve read an article online that says something similar. With all of this different messaging, it can be confusing to know what information to trust. However, it is important to note that there have been no conclusive studies that can prove a “safe level” of alcohol use during pregnancy. Because of this, all major medical associations, including the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the U.S. Surgeon General, recommend not drinking any alcohol if you are pregnant or might become pregnant. Alcohol is a teratogen and can cause permanent brain injury to a fetus.
Want to learn more facts about FASD? Click here for helpful fact sheets and other resources.
Where are you getting medical advice from online?
When searching for health information, it is important to make sure the websites you access are credible. Misinformation plays a big role in alcohol-exposed pregnancies.
If you google “is it safe to drink while pregnant?” you might see an article online where someone says they drank during pregnancy and their child doesn’t seem to have any issues, or maybe you hear someone tell their friend that wine is okay during pregnancy. While we can all learn from each other and it’s important to share our stories and information with friends and family, it’s also important that we know what the facts are.
Websites that end in .gov, .edu, or .org can usually be trusted to share the facts. For example, CDC.gov is a great resource to learn more about health and pregnancy.
Before you take something to heart, check the source. If you’re looking up information about drinking during pregnancy – or any other health information – it’s important that you are using trustworthy websites.
