Drank before I knew I was pregnant 8 weeks

Not every pregnancy is planned, and those that are can take time, so it's not surprising that at some point after sperm meets egg, but before you're aware of that happy pairing, you might have enjoyed some wine with dinner or a beer at a ballgame. Cue panic, and an attempt to remember how much (and what) you imbibed. But is that panic necessary?

Inhaltsverzeichnis Show

Try not to worry
The impact of alcohol in early pregnancy
Drinking when you’re trying to conceive

Related: Are you having a boy or girl? Find out!

Although having had a couple of drinks before you knew you were pregnant isn't ideal, it is somewhat common. "Half the women in the U.S. drink alcohol and half of all pregnancies are unplanned, so there are many cases of women realizing they drank before discovering they're expecting," says Robert Sokol, M.D., professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit. It may be difficult not to worry, but do your best not dwell on the past. "Once you're pregnant, stop drinking," Dr. Sokol says.

Related: Shop prenatal health products.

Ideally, you should assess your health before becoming pregnant so you can start off your pregnancy on the best foot possible. This means taking pre-conception folic acid (400 mcg) for at least a month to reduce the chance of a neural tube defect, as well as cutting out smoking and drinking. "The earlier in pregnancy the exposure to alcohol occurs, the greater the chance of more serious damage -- so abstinence is recommended," says David Garry, D.O., a spokesperson for the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and a maternal fetal medicine specialist at Montefiore Medical Center in Bronx, NY.

Of course, proper nutrition and good prenatal care are vital for a healthy pregnancy, so talk with your ob-gyn about a diet and exercise plan and be sure to take vitamins or other supplements if they are recommended.

Every pregnancy is different

Not every woman who drinks during pregnancy will bear a child with fetal alcohol syndrome. In fact, some women may have a genetic predisposition that decreases the vulnerability of their fetus to alcohol damage, and others may experience the opposite (certain women may have genes that increase the risk of an FAS-related birth). Women of advanced maternal age are in the latter category: "Older women tend to be heavier, so the more body fat one has, the faster the blood alcohol content rises because fat doesn't absorb alcohol like muscle does," Dr. Sokol says.

Full-blown fetal alcohol syndrome affects about 1 to 2 babies per thousand births; according to the Centers for Disease Control, scientists believe that there are at least three times as many cases of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) as fetal alcohol syndrome. Some kids may have subtle damage that isn't even noticed until they begin school, when learning and behavior problems become apparent. So the best advice is also the simplest: For the healthiest baby, stop drinking the moment you decide you'd like to get pregnant.

Even if you have your suspicions that you might be pregnant, it’s almost always a few weeks’ wait before a pregnancy test can confirm it.

So, usually we potter through the first 2-3 weeks of pregnancy as normal, without realising anything’s up.

This means that you might have had a few alcoholic drinks after conceiving – or even a binge drinking session – and now, you’re worrying about it.

GP Dr Dawn Harper calms our fears when she tells us that she was one of those women who had an alcoholic drink before she realised she was expecting: “I’ll be honest: I didn’t realise when I was pregnant with my first child, and I drank at a party,” she says.

“How many women have consumed tonnes of alcohol when they don’t realise they’re pregnant?” says MFMer Poppy Porch.

Another MFMer says: “With both my first and second pregnancies I had a big night out before realising that I was pregnant.” aimz89

Try not to worry

Dr Harper encourages you not to panic if you did drink alcohol before you were aware that you were pregnant. “Every month in my work as a GP, I see women who are very happy to discover they’re pregnant, but concerned that they had a few drinks before finding out,” she says. “Once you do know you’re pregnant, it’s a different matter.”

The impact of alcohol in early pregnancy

Binge drinking or sustained heavy drinking at any stage of pregnancy are known to have potentially lifelong damaging effects to an unborn baby.

Drinking low levels of alcohol in pregnancy (1-2 drinks, once or twice a week) has not been proven to be harmful to an unborn baby. This is why, if you had just a few drinks in the first 2-3 weeks before realising you were pregnant, your doctor will probably tell you not to worry.

During the first trimester, your baby is in the first stages of growth and development, and the risk of miscarriage is at its highest. The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) therefore recommends that you avoid all alcohol during the first 12 weeks.

Tell me more about the latest guidelines on alcohol and pregnancy

Drinking when you’re trying to conceive

Alcohol is known to damage male fertility – its impact on female fertility is as yet unknown. The NHS advises that if you are trying to conceive (TTC) you should avoid alcohol.

Tell me more about alcohol and fertility

Mums on our sister site babyexpert.com share their experiences of drinking before they knew they were pregnant

“Because it had taken so long to conceive with number 1, I thought there was no way I could be pregnant. So, I had a few drinks. It probably amounted to a couple of gins and a couple of bottles of wine over a few nights (ooops!!). Then I found out I was about 4.5 weeks pregnant and stopped straight away.” Emmsg

“My son was conceived in September 2005 but I didn’t find out I was pregnant till February 2006! I was pregnant over Christmas and had a few drinks. I felt very guilty when I found out, but the doctor assured me he would be fine.” Dipndazzle

“My sister got terribly drunk, sunbathed and got totally burnt, had a jacuzzi and a sauna before she found out about her first!” CupcakeLadyJ

Tell me more about alcohol and conception

Tell me about the latest research on drinking and pregnancy

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greatorex2017 · 22/11/2017 13:04

Hi everyone This is my first post here I'm hoping for some advice as I'm worried sick I have harmed my baby. I found out I was pregnant at 10 weeks and have my first 12 week scan next week, so no alcohol or smoking when I found out! However I was going out each weekend partying and getting drunk, smoking cigs... plus drinking a few large glasses of wine each night after work. I've heard of foetal alcohol syndrome and am so worried I may have caused this... Has anyone been in similar shoes and everything has worked out okay??

Thanks x