There is no safe amount to drink during pregnancy. Every time you drink, your baby does too. Alcohol during pregnancy can lead to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). FASD means serious developmental, emotional, and physical consequences for your baby.
Even if you drank before you knew you were pregnant, there is still time to stop drinking. The best thing you can do is to not drink at all. The second-best thing you can do is to stop today. Talk to your health care provider about your drinking and surround yourself with people who will support you in not drinking.
Quitting smoking isn't easy. However, it's important to quit smoking as quickly as possible to help prevent miscarriage, birth defects, premature birth and the resulting complications, or stillbirth. Help is available and will improve your chances of quitting for good, so don't be afraid to reach out.
Medications, marijuana, and street drugs can all be dangerous during pregnancy. Different drugs have different effects, but few are safe. If you used medications, marijuana or street drugs before knowing you were pregnant, you can still make different choices.
Talk to your health care provider or pharmacist about any over-the-counter or prescription medications you want to take
Avoid recreational marijuana use entirely. If you are taking medicinal marijuana, talk to your doctor about the risk factors. These include premature birth, low birth weight and developmental delays.
Avoid street drugs entirely. Not only do you risk serious complications but your baby could be born addicted to the drug you take
We are here to support you and will not judge you. Please reach out to one of our VCH community programs below or call your Public Health Nurse for more resources: