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Surveillance studies suggest that more than half of reproductive-aged women drink alcohol; moreover, as many as 30% report consuming ≥1 drink at some point during pregnancy. Now, the CDC has issued a recommendation that sexually active women who are not using contraception should not drink alcohol. The new recommendation is based on data showing that only 50% of U.S. pregnancies are planned, most women who are trying to become pregnant do not stop drinking alcohol, and there is no safe level of alcohol consumption during pregnancy.
These recommendations were met with social media responses described in the New York Times as “mocking to incredulous”. The pushback is based on the perception that the recommendations are patronizing and cast women merely as potential baby-incubators. While the detrimental effects of alcohol on the developing fetus are well documented, there is still substantial uncertainty about the effects of an occasional drink during pregnancy.
Green PP et al. Vital Signs: Alcohol-exposed pregnancies — United States, 2011–2013. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2016 Feb 5; 65:91. (http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6504a6)
Comment
I have difficulty with this recommendation to disallow alcohol consumption for all women who are heterosexually active and not using birth control, as their pregnancy intentions are probably complex. Improved availability and affordability of highly effective reversible contraception is a better path to enhancing women's reproductive health and achieving the goal of healthy babies.