Alcohol exposure during pregnancy

Health Canada recommends that women who are pregnant or may become pregnant should not consume any alcohol, as no safe level of consumption during pregnancy has been established. Alcohol consumption during pregnancy can lead to fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Children born with FASD may have cognitive, behavioural, neurodevelopmental, physiological or physical impairments that last through the child’s lifetime.

Alcohol consumption during pregnancy is known to incur risk to the unborn baby, and is considered socially undesirable. As a result, it is difficult to obtain accurate estimates of alcohol consumption in pregnant women due to potential unwillingness to disclose alcohol use during pregnancy.

Key findings:

Notes:

Figure: Annual proportion of women who consumed alcohol during pregnancy, by geographic area, 2013 to 2016

Graph depicting Annual proportion of women who were using alcohol at the time they gave birth, by geographic area, 2013 to 2016. Data found in tables below.

Table: Annual proportion of women who consumed alcohol during pregnancy, by geographic area, 2013 to 2016

Geographic Area2013201420152016
Sudbury and districts1.72.42.82.2
Ontario1.42.02.42.3

Table: Annual number of women who consumed alcohol during pregnancy, by geographic area, 2013 to 2016

Geographic Area2013201420152016
Sudbury and districts32465240
Ontario1,9572,7663,3023,216

This item was last modified on October 26, 2018