Alcohol in pregnancy can cross the placenta and enter the fetus, where is disrupts fetal development. There is no safe level of alcohol in pregnancy and mothers are encouraged not to drink alcohol at all, however small amounts are less likely to result in lasting effects. The effects are greatest in the first 3 months of pregnancy.

Alcohol in early pregnancy can lead to:

• Miscarriage
• Small for dates
• Preterm delivery

Fetal alcohol syndrome refers to certain effects and characteristics that are found in children of mothers that consumed significant alcohol during pregnancy:

• Microcephaly (small head)
• Thin upper lip
• Smooth flat philtrum (the groove between the nose and upper lip)
• Short palpebral fissure (short horizontal distance from one side of the eye and the other)
• Learning disability
• Behavioural difficulties
• Hearing and vision problems
• Cerebral palsy