Alcohol en el embarazo (evitar — sin nivel seguro)

Why / when / how

Avoiding alcohol during pregnancy prevents fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, a potentially serious harm that is entirely avoidable. The certainty of the evidence for the critical outcomes is moderate. This is why the recommendation is strong in favor of avoiding it: it concerns a fully preventable harm set against a consumption that provides no benefit to justify it.

Cautions

Before intervening on substance use and exposure to toxicants, assess the patient's consumption pattern, dependence, and clinical conditions, and individualize the approach. Discontinuing substances that produce physical dependence may require medical supervision because of the risk of a withdrawal syndrome, so it should not be stopped abruptly without assessment. Advise seeking professional care in the presence of any warning sign, including in crisis situations, and refer to specialized addiction treatment/environmental health services, according to the case. Reassess the course periodically.

Quantitative evidence