Alcohol Use During Pregnancy Rises, Expected to Continue Increasing

Alcohol use, binge drinking, and heavy drinking have all increased significantly among pregnant women in the US from 2011 to 2024, according to a JAMA study.¹ Likewise, with no end in sight for the trends in their findings, study authors consider them “concerning,” highlighting the need to address the growing trends among expecting mothers and their alcohol consumption.

“It is well established that alcohol is a teratogen, and numerous existing guidelines advise women to abstain from alcohol during pregnancy and while breastfeeding,” wrote the authors of a study in Drug and Alcohol Review.² “However, many women consume alcohol in pregnancy even after learning they are pregnant. Worldwide, approximately 10% of women in the general population consume alcohol in pregnancy, although the European region has the highest rate of consumption (25%).”

The JAMA analysis revealed that from 2011 to 2024, the relative increase in current alcohol use among pregnant individuals reached 59%, and binge drinking rose by 77% and heavy drinking surged by a startling 166%. These absolute increases, 5.4%, 2%, and 1.2%, respectively, represent a significant shift in behavior that researchers indicate has no clear sign of reversal.¹

Although the prevalence of prenatal alcohol use was once considered relatively stable, recent data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System suggests that pregnant individuals who are older, college-educated, and employed are now reporting the highest rates of consumption.

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Furthermore, the study identified a strong correlation between drinking and frequent mental distress, noting that pregnant women experiencing 14 or more poor mental health days a month were twice as likely to report current alcohol use. This co-occurrence of alcohol consumption with mental health struggles and tobacco use suggests a complex pattern of polysubstance use that may benefit from integrated screening and support services.^1,3

For pharmacists, these findings highlight a need for intervention, as they often serve as the first line of defense against the dangers of medication and substance exposure during pregnancy. A qualitative study exploring pharmacists’ perceptions found that many practitioners feel their role is essential for ensuring the quality and safety of medications for expectant mothers.⁴

However, that same research identified a persistent knowledge gap, with many pharmacists reporting limited formal training on prenatal pharmacology and a heavy reliance on self-education or nonspecialized online resources. Pharmacists frequently encounter patients who are hesitant to take necessary medications for chronic conditions due to fear of harming the baby, yet these same patients may be exposed to misinformation on social media that downplays the risks of alcohol.

The lack of standardized clinical guidelines and insufficient time in busy outpatient settings further complicates the ability of pharmacists to provide confident, evidence-based recommendations.⁴

Understanding the underlying motivations for alcohol consumption is vital for effective pharmaceutical counseling. Systematic reviews suggest that many women continue to drink because of societal pressure or the pervasive belief that moderate amounts of wine or beer are acceptable.²

Some women even believe that alcohol has medicinal properties, such as helping with nausea, labor pain, or stimulating breast milk production. In many cases, alcohol is used as a coping mechanism for trauma, family violence, or life stressors, making nonjudgmental support from health care providers even more imperative.

Pharmacists can help bridge this gap by providing clear, consistent messaging that there is no known safe amount, time, or type of alcohol use during pregnancy, as consumption is linked to miscarriage, stillbirth, and sudden infant death syndrome.^2,3

Recent research also suggests that pharmacists should expand their counseling to include partners, as paternal drinking is now recognized as a significant factor in fetal alcohol syndrome. Chronic male alcohol consumption, defined as more than 5 drinks in a 4-hour window, can carry epigenetic information in sperm that affects the formation of the offspring’s brain, skull, and face.⁵

Paternal alcohol exposure is associated with microcephaly and lower birth weights, with some craniofacial abnormalities persisting into the child’s later life. Additionally, heavy drinking by the father significantly decreases the chances of a partner becoming pregnant through assisted reproductive technologies like IVF, in some cases by as much as 50%.

To combat these rising trends, pharmacists have identified a need for specialized training programs and better access to updated drug safety databases like Micromedex, Lexicomp, or UpToDate. By integrating pharmacists into interdisciplinary maternal health teams, they can provide the evidence-based education necessary to refute common myths and address the underlying behavioral health needs of their patients.⁴

Strengthening the pharmacist’s role in prenatal care is essential for reducing the incidence of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders and ensuring the safety of future generations. As the JAMA findings indicate that current trends are unlikely to reverse on their own, the proactive involvement of pharmacists in screening and counseling becomes a public health necessity.^1,2,4

“From 2011 [to] 2024, the prevalence of current alcohol use, binge drinking, and heavy drinking each increased among pregnant women in the US, with possible stabilization in more recent years but no clear reversal of overall upward trends,” concluded the authors of the current study.¹ “Understanding the specific correlates of increasing use—particularly the factors contributing to binge and heavy drinking that carry the greatest risks—is essential for effective prevention and intervention.”

READ MORE: Women’s Health Resource Center

REFERENCES

1. Bruzelius E, Bandoli G, Martins SS. Trends in alcohol consumption during pregnancy in the US. JAMA. July 27, 2026. doi:10.1001/jama.2026.11864

2. Popova S, Dozet D, Akhand Laboni S, et al. Why do women consume alcohol during pregnancy or while breastfeeding? Drug Alcohol Rev. 2022 May;41(4):759-777. doi: 10.1111/dar.13425.

3. Data and statistics on alcohol and pregnancy. CDC. June 11, 2026. Accessed July 27, 2026. https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol-pregnancy/data-research/facts-stats/index.html

4. Alshehri FS, Alorfi NM, Ashour AM, et al. Pharmacists' roles and perceptions in managing prenatal exposure to medications: a qualitative study. Medicine (Baltimore). 2025 Oct 31;104(44):e45618. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000045618.

5. New research points to dad’s drinking as a significant factor in fetal alcohol syndrome. JHEOR. November 21, 2023. Accessed July 27, 2026. https://jheor.org/post/2235-new-research-points-to-dad-s-drinking-as-a-significant-factor-in-fetal-alcohol-syndrome