The evidence base is clear: there is no safe time or safe amount of alcohol to drink while pregnant, because a baby’s brain develops throughout the nine months of pregnancy from conception to birth.

Drinking alcohol while pregnant can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth, low birth weight, as well as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), which is a lifelong disability.

But don’t worry, you’re not alone in this journey. It’s up to all of us, as a community, to support those who are pregnant, trying for a baby or breastfeeding to make the safest choice by not drinking.

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Where do the recommendations not to drink when planning a pregnancy, while pregnant or breastfeeding come from?

Recommendations are based on the latest Australian research and are included in the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Australian guidelines to reduce health risks from drinking alcohol, specifically, guideline three: Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, which says:

  • To prevent harm from alcohol to their unborn child, women who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy should not drink alcohol.
  • For women who are breastfeeding, not drinking alcohol is safest for their baby.
View Guidelines
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FAQs about Alcohol and Pregnancy

Common questions and evidence-based responses around alcohol, pregnancy, and breastfeeding.

FAQs about Alcohol and Pregnancy
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Info for parents: Pregnancy

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Webinar: Alcohol and Breastfeeding

While the safest option for those breastfeeding is always to avoid alcohol completely, if you do choose to drink while breastfeeding, Dr Roslyn Giglia has some tips and advice for how you can make sure you do it as safely as possible.

Alcohol and pregnancy fact sheets
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Alcohol and pregnancy

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FASD among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

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Languages other than English

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Beyond the FASD Hub

These resources have been created by other organisations.

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Visit the FASD Hub's library of resources about pregnancy, breastfeeding and alcohol
Resources
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Stay connected

Join our mailing list to hear more from the FASD Hub, including our monthly newsletters, webinar invitations, and new publications.

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Acknowledgement of Country

FASD Hub Australia acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia, and we recognise their connections to land, water and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

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