Alcohol and Pregnancy

When you are pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant, no alcohol is best.  Drinking alcohol when you are pregnant can affect you and your baby’s health.  When you drink alcohol, your baby also drinks alcohol.  The alcohol passes from your body to your developing baby and can cause harm, including damage to your baby's brain. 

If your baby’s brain is damaged, it can affect his or her memory and the way he or she thinks, behaves, and learns.   These problems will not go away, and will affect your baby for the rest of his or her life.  The amount of damage is related to how much alcohol you drink.

It is not known how much alcohol is safe when you are pregnant, so it is best to not drink alcohol at all while you are pregnant.  All drinks that contain alcohol can be harmful.  This includes wine (and cooking wine), beer, coolers, cocktails, hard liquor, and ciders.

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)

FASD, or Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, is a term that describes all the different things that can affect your baby after it is born if you drink alcohol when you are pregnant.  The only way babies get FASD is if the mother drinks alcohol when she is pregnant.  There is no safe amount of alcohol because even 1 drink a day during pregnancy can affect your developing baby.  Drinking more than 1 drink a day can cause more harm.  FASD cannot be cured but it is 100% preventable!

Babies who have FASD may look different and have problems with the way they think, behave, and learn.  For example, they may have problems with

  • adding, subtracting and handling money
  • thinking things through /reasoning
  • learning from experience
  • understanding consequences of their actions
  • remembering things, and
  • getting along with others

 If you are having trouble giving up alcohol, call your Community Wellness Worker.  Here are some other contacts:

  • Your local Health Centre
  • Your Community Health Representative
  • Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program (CPNP) Workers
  • The Health Line: 1-888-255-1010
  • Moms, Boobs and Babies (Yellowknife): 1-867-669-7888  

For more information on FASD, you can visit:

Northwest Territories Health and Social Services

Public Health Agency of Canada

Yellowknife Association for Community Living