Doctors and researchers have long known that heavy alcohol consumption (including binge drinking) and pregnancy are a potentially toxic mix, but have not established just how many drinks, if any, might be safe. A recent study has lowered the bar, finding negative effects of fetal alcohol exposure at thresholds lower than previously demonstrated.
Major medical organizations in the United States, including the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Academy of Family Physicians, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that women completely avoid drinking alcohol during every stage of pregnancy.
