CDC Tells Young Women to Avoid Alcohol Unless on Birth Control: 'Alcohol Can Permanently Harm' a Developing Baby

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Women of childbearing age are advised to avoid alcohol unless they're on birth control says Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday. This is an effort to reduce the number of cases of fetal alcohol syndrome disorder.

An estimated 3.3 million women between ages 15 to 44 are at risk of exposing a developing fetus to alcohol because they drink and are sexually active but don't use contraception. Drinking before and during pregnancy can lead to fetal alcohol spectrum disorder which covers a range of lifelong physical, behavioral and mental problems to a child, The Washington Post reports.

Three in four women who are trying to conceive still drink after they stop using birth control, according to CDC.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends abstaining completely from alcohol while pregnant. There is no known safe level of alcohol to consume while pregnant, according to CDC.

American Academy of Pediatrics has issued a guidance last year stating that no amount of alcohol is safe to consume at any point while pregnant. AAP noted that the odds of developing fetal alcohol syndrome disorder increase by 12 times when a mother drinks during the first trimester.

"Alcohol can permanently harm a developing baby before a woman knows she is pregnant," said Anne Schuchat, principal deputy director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "About half of all pregnancies in the United States are unplanned, and even if planned, most women won't know they are pregnant for the first month or so when they might still be drinking."

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders can cause lasting disabilities to a child, affecting them throughout their lives, according to CDC. More so, there is one in every 20 children with alcohol spectrum disorder and that's about five percent of American school children, reports USA Today.

Babies with fetal alcohol syndrome are more likely to be born small and to develop problems of the heart, kidney and brain, according to CDC. Brains not fully developed can lead to low IQ and learning disabilities, attention problems, hyperactivity, poor reasoning and judgment and poor social skills. In turn, this can lead to mental illness, substance abuse and other life-long problems, reports USA Today.

Women are not aware that they're pregnant until after four to six weeks. The alcohol can quickly reach the fetus still developing liver and brain through the placenta when a pregnant woman drinks, says Mark Defrancesco, the president of American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologist.

More so, CDC reveals that alcohol use in pregnancy costs the USA $5.5 billion a year.

The researchers admit that not all women will take this advice. After all, alcohol plays a role in many conceptions. However, it is still advised to stop drinking as soon as you stop using birth control.

Check the video below to know more about fetal alcohol syndrome disorder: