Pregnancy guide · Şişli, Istanbul
There is no known safe amount, timing or type of alcohol during pregnancy. Avoiding alcohol is the safest approach. If you drank before learning you were pregnant, this does not mean your baby has definitely been harmed. Stop drinking and discuss the details with your clinician; if you drink heavily or have withdrawal symptoms, seek medical support promptly.
Can I have one glass of wine or beer?
No safe threshold has been established for a glass of wine or beer in pregnancy. The advice is to avoid alcohol. Risk is not determined by the name of the drink alone: its ethanol content and the amount consumed matter. Wine being described as natural, or beer having a lower alcohol percentage, does not make it safe during pregnancy.
The baby’s brain develops throughout pregnancy, so avoiding alcohol only in the first trimester is not enough. Equally, a single exposure cannot predict a definite outcome for an individual baby.
I drank before I knew I was pregnant. What should I do?
Write down the first day of your last period, the dates you drank, the approximate amounts and whether this was a single occasion or a regular pattern. After learning you are pregnant, avoid further alcohol and continue antenatal care.
Share the information openly with your obstetrician. The purpose is to understand the exposure and plan appropriate support, not to judge you. Not every baby exposed to alcohol is affected, but no assessment can guarantee zero risk.
Online stories about other pregnancies cannot tell you what will happen in yours. A discussion of the actual timing and amount is more useful than drawing a conclusion from a drink’s name or someone else’s experience.
What are fetal alcohol spectrum disorders?
Alcohol can cross the placenta. Exposure during pregnancy is associated with increased risks including miscarriage, preterm birth and problems with growth. These associations do not mean every exposed pregnancy has the same outcome.
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders describe a range of possible lifelong effects on physical development, learning, behaviour and the nervous system. The pattern and severity vary, and not all effects can be recognised before birth.
Antenatal follow-up assesses growth and structures that can be seen on ultrasound. A normal scan cannot exclude every alcohol-related effect, particularly later learning or behavioural difficulties. If developmental concerns arise after birth, tell the child’s healthcare team about the pregnancy exposure.
What if I find it hard to stop drinking?
If drinking has become regular or you struggle to go without alcohol, ask for help from a healthcare team experienced in alcohol dependence alongside your pregnancy care. Seeking support early makes it easier to plan care for both you and your baby.
Daily heavy drinking, needing a drink in the morning, or shaking, sweating or a racing heart when you stop are reasons to seek medical help the same day. Withdrawal can be dangerous and may require supervised treatment. If you have seizures, altered consciousness or become severely unwell, call 112 in Türkiye.
Practical steps during pregnancy
Removing alcohol from the home, deciding in advance what to drink at social events and asking a trusted person for support may help. Check the alcohol percentage on products marketed as alcohol-free; a low-alcohol drink is not necessarily a drink with no alcohol.
Discuss unfamiliar herbal drinks and supplements with your clinician as well. A reassuring label does not replace checking the ingredients. Keep attending your pregnancy appointments and bring any concerns about drinking to the visit.
Common questions
Is alcohol safe in the first weeks of pregnancy?
No safe period has been established, including the weeks before a pregnancy is recognised. The brain continues to develop later in pregnancy too. Previous drinking does not establish that harm occurred; avoiding further exposure and continuing care are useful steps.
Should I avoid alcohol while trying to conceive?
Yes. Alcohol may be consumed before a pregnancy test becomes positive, so avoiding it while planning pregnancy is recommended. Discuss alcohol and other lifestyle factors during a pre-pregnancy review and seek help if stopping is difficult.
Can I drink only on special occasions?
No safe drinking frequency has been established during pregnancy. The recommendation is to avoid alcohol.
Does drinking before I knew mean I will miscarry?
No. A definite outcome cannot be predicted from the fact of exposure alone. Timing, amount and the overall clinical situation need individual review.
Can an ultrasound rule out fetal alcohol effects?
No. Ultrasound cannot evaluate all later learning, behavioural or developmental effects. It is one part of pregnancy follow-up.
Plan a non-emergency appointment in Şişli
For an English consultation with Dr Alparslan Demir, share your pregnancy week if known and your preferred appointment day. Bring previous scan and test reports, your medication list and any relevant maternity or vaccination records. Availability is confirmed by the practice.
19 Mayıs Mahallesi, Halaskargazi Caddesi No: 226/1, Çiftkurt Apartmanı, Floor 1, Apartment 1, Şişli, Istanbul. Plan your visit in English.
The practice is not a hospital emergency department. Urgent symptoms need hospital assessment. Do not wait for an appointment or message reply; call 112 in a medical emergency in Türkiye.