April is Alcohol Awareness Month and April 5 is National Alcohol Screening Day. To highlight these events, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has produced a Web spotlight on Women and Alcohol . 

 According to the CDC,  having more than one alcoholic drink per day increases a woman’s chances for high blood pressure, stroke, some types of cancer, injury (e.g., motor vehicle crashes, violence),  and suicide. Alcohol use, especially binge drinking (four or more drinks in about two hours), might also lead to an unplanned pregnancy, a sexually transmitted infection, or sexual assault. Some people, including pregnant women and women who might become pregnant, should not drink alcohol at all.

Drinking alcohol during pregnancy is one of the top preventable causes of birth defects and developmental disabilities, known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs). (Information on FASDs is also available in Spanish.)

• The good news is that FASDs are 100% preventable—if a woman does not drink alcohol while she is pregnant.

• There is no known amount of alcohol that is safe to drink while pregnant.

• There is no safe time to drink during pregnancy—alcohol can harm a baby at any time during pregnancy.

• All drinks with alcohol can hurt an unborn baby. A 12-ounce can of beer has as much alcohol as a 5-ounce glass of wine or a 1-ounce shot of liquor.

• FASDs can cause problems related to how a person grows, learns, looks, and acts. FASDs can also cause birth defects of the heart, brain, and other major organs. These problems can last a lifetime.

• About 1 in 12 pregnant women in the United States reports alcohol use.

Click on Women and Alcohol above to learn more about FASD and the importance of screening women.