February 03, 2016
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is now advising all women of child-bearing age that they should not drink alcohol unless they are using contraception.
According to the CDC's recommendation, issued Tuesday, about 3.3 million U.S. women ages 15-44 are at risk of exposing a developing baby to fetal alcohol syndrome and related health issues when drinking, having sex and not using birth control.
"There is no known safe level of alcohol at any stage of pregnancy," according to the CDC.
The American Academy of Pediatrics previously issued a report that basically said not even a sip of alcohol is safe while pregnant.
According to USA Today's report on the CDC's recommendation, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders affect "up to one in 20 schoolchildren."
This news comes just weeks after The Washington Post published a riveting narrative about a woman and her adult daughter's experiences with fetal alcohol syndrome. The mother told The Washington Post that she drank while pregnant and her daughter is affected by the condition.
Read the full statement by the CDC here.
