Can I drink alcohol during my pregnancy?

Can I drink alcohol during my pregnancy?

Jay Goldberg (Obstetrician/Gynecologist, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center) gives expert video advice on: Can I have artificial sweeteners while I'm pregnant?; Can I get my hair colored or my nails done during my pregnancy?; Can I smoke during my pregnancy? and more...

I typically don't recommend alcohol in pregnancy. My leniency is in if it's a special occasion like it's New Year's and you want to share a glass of champagne with your husband, or it's your anniversary and you want share a glass of wine, or it's the Superbowl and you want to nurse a beer, those are fine. If you find yourself drinking one alcoholic beverage every month or so, that's fine, but you really need to check with your health care provider because they may feel differently. I think that alcohol can be very dangerous and you're opening Pandora's box when you tell a patient that they can drink alcohol in moderation because they don't know what it's defined. If you define it very specifically for a patient, then yes, an occasional alcohol is safe in pregnancy.