It is widely known that alcohol and pregnancy are not a good combination and most women stop drinking as soon as they find out that they are pregnant. Unfortunately, as many as half of all women do drink early in the first weeks of pregnancy, but stop once the pregnancy is confirmed.
A study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology looked at the association between week-by-week alcohol use in early pregnancy and the risk for spontaneous miscarriage. Drinking alcohol anytime during weeks 5 to 10 from the last menstrual period increased the risk for spontaneous miscarriage with the risk peaking at week 9. Each successive week of alcohol use was associated with an 8% increase in miscarriage when compared to pregnant women who did not drink. The risk remained constant even if the alcohol consumption was at low levels. Bottom line: For those considering a pregnancy, abstaining from alcohol during the time you are trying to conceive is a wise choice.
