FAS is prevalent in 9.8 of every 1,000 American Indians from a particular high-risk culture. An average of one to two reported drinks daily is linked to decreased birthweight, growth abnormalities and behavioral problems in the newborn and infant. The probability of having a child with FAS or FAE increases with the amount and frequency of alcohol consumed. There is no known safe dose of alcohol during pregnancy, nor does there appear to be a safe time to drink during pregnancy. Although 90 percent of the public is aware that drinking during pregnancy may damage the fetus, one study showed that one-third of women interviewed believed that drinking more than three drinks a day during pregnancy was safe.
Women are now heavily targeted for marketing of alcoholic beverages.
The best advice for pregnant women is to abstain from alcohol consumption during pregnancy. There is no evidence to establish an alcohol consumption level free of risks to the fetus.'3 Women who breastfeed should continue to abstain from drinking alcohol until their babies are weaned.