Do Women Change Their Drinking Behaviors While Trying to Conceive? An Opportunity for Preconception Counseling

摘要

Background: Prenatal alcohol exposure is a leading cause of preventable mental retardation and developmental disabilities, including fetal alcohol syndrome. Current medical guidelines recommend that no alcohol should be consumed over the period of conception and throughout pregnancy. Although the majority of women reduce alcohol consumption when they realize they are pregnant, this recognition may not occur until well into the first trimester, potentially impacting embryonic development.