Can You Drink Alcohol When Pregnant?
Written by Jordan Morley · Reviewed against NHS foods-to-avoid guidance · Last updated 28 October 2026
No — the NHS and UK Chief Medical Officers advise avoiding Alcohol and all alcohol completely during pregnancy. No amount is known to be safe.
Why is alcohol a concern in pregnancy?
When you drink, alcohol passes from your blood through the placenta to your baby. Drinking in pregnancy can cause long-term harm including fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), and the risk rises the more you drink — but experts have not been able to identify any safe level. The UK Chief Medical Officers' guideline is clear: the safest approach in pregnancy is to drink no alcohol at all.
You can also check the calorie content of alcohol alongside its safety information. Also check medication safety during pregnancy if you're managing any conditions.
What each UK source actually says
Every UK source we opened gives the same advice, in slightly different words. None of them gives a 'safe' amount. The differences are in how much they say about risk and what to do if you drank before you knew.
| Source | Advice (quoted) | Page date |
|---|---|---|
| NHS | 'It's recommended that if you're pregnant or planning to become pregnant you should not drink alcohol.' | Last reviewed 13 March 2023; its own next-review date (13 March 2026) has passed |
| NHS Wales 111 | 'the safest approach is not to drink alcohol at all to keep risks to your baby to a minimum.' | Last updated 10 May 2023 |
| Public Health Agency (Northern Ireland) leaflet | 'The safest approach in pregnancy is to choose not to drink at all.' | Printed August 2025 |
| Tommy's | 'Experts can't be sure exactly how much alcohol, if any, is safe during pregnancy.' | Last reviewed 27 June 2017 |
The NHS risk wording: drinking in pregnancy 'increases the risk of miscarriage, premature birth and your baby having a low birthweight', and can cause fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), which the NHS calls a serious life-long condition. The Northern Ireland leaflet adds that harm to the baby's brain and nervous system can occur even from small amounts, and that the risk rises with the amount drunk, with binge drinking especially harmful.
How many units are in a normal drink?
One UK unit is 10ml (8g) of pure alcohol, so a drink's strength and size matter more than its name. This table is taken from the Northern Ireland leaflet (printed August 2025). It is here so you can work out what you drank if you are asked, not to suggest a safe amount.
| Drink | Strength | Units (leaflet) |
|---|---|---|
| Small glass of wine, 175ml | 12% | 2.1 |
| Large glass of wine, 250ml | 12% | 3 |
| Bottle of wine, 750ml | 12% | 9 |
| Pint of normal lager or beer | 4% | 2.3 |
| Pub spirit measure, 35ml | 40% | 1.4 |
| Bottle of alcopop or ready-mixed drink, 275ml | 5% | 1.4 |
The same leaflet defines binge drinking for women in the UK as 6 units or more in a single session. NHS Wales gives the one-unit examples of half a pint of 3.5% beer, lager or cider, a 25ml spirit measure at 40%, or half of a 175ml glass of 11.5% wine.
'I drank before I knew I was pregnant'
- Stop now. The NHS: people who find out they are pregnant after drinking 'should avoid further drinking for the rest of their pregnancy.'
- Try not to panic. The NHS says the risks of the baby being affected 'are likely to be low'. NHS Wales says the same: do not worry unnecessarily.
- Timing matters a little. The Northern Ireland leaflet says small amounts around conception carry very little risk, while drinking in early pregnancy can raise the risk of early miscarriage. If you suspect you are pregnant, stop and take a test.
- Tell your midwife or GP. Tommy's says they will probably reassure you that the risk is small if you were not a regular heavy drinker.
- If stopping is hard, the NHS lists the Drinkaware helpline on 0300 123 1110 (weekdays 9am to 8pm, weekends 11am to 4pm). NHS Wales also lists the All Wales helpline DAN 24/7 on 0808 1410044. Tommy's warns that heavy drinkers who stop suddenly can get withdrawal symptoms and should get medical help.
What about food cooked with wine, beer or spirits?
This is the question the official pages do not answer: we found no NHS or Chief Medical Officers' statement on cooking with alcohol, so there is no UK-approved safe amount. What exists is food-science data on how much alcohol is left. It is summarised on Wikipedia from a 1992 study (Augustin et al.) and the USDA nutrient-retention table; Food Republic (January 2025) quotes the same USDA figures. We did not open the original paper.
| How it was cooked | Alcohol left in the dish |
|---|---|
| Added to boiling liquid, then taken off the heat | About 85% |
| Flamed | About 75% |
| No heat, left overnight | About 70% |
| Baked for 25 minutes, not stirred in | About 45% |
| Baked or simmered, stirred in, 15 minutes | About 40% |
| Baked or simmered, stirred in, 1 hour | About 25% |
| Baked or simmered, stirred in, 2.5 hours | About 5% |
So alcohol does not simply 'cook off'. A quick pan sauce keeps much of it; a casserole simmered for hours keeps little. Because no UK body gives a safe level, the cautious choice while pregnant is to use stock, vinegar, grape juice or an alcohol-free substitute instead.
Reading 'alcohol-free' labels
Drinkaware (July 2020) gives the three UK descriptors for drinks produced in the UK. FoodNavigator (22 July 2026) confirms 'alcohol-free' is still 0.05% or lower, and says the government is considering raising that to 0.5% but has made no decision.
| Label | Maximum strength (Drinkaware) |
|---|---|
| Alcohol-free | No more than 0.05% ABV |
| De-alcoholised | No more than 0.5% ABV |
| Low alcohol | No more than 1.2% ABV |
Drinkaware gives no pregnancy advice on these. Our own reading, not a quoted rule: a drink labelled 0.0% removes the question; 'low alcohol' is still alcohol. See alcohol-free beer when pregnant.
Sources checked
Everything in the sections above was checked against these pages on 28 October 2026.
- NHS: Drinking alcohol while pregnant (page last reviewed 13 March 2023; next review was due 13 March 2026) — advice not to drink; miscarriage, premature birth, low birthweight; FASD; drank before knowing: avoid further drinking, risk likely low; Drinkaware helpline hours
- NHS Wales 111: Alcohol and drugs in pregnancy (last updated 10 May 2023) — safest approach is no alcohol; one unit examples; drank before knowing; DAN 24/7 number
- Public Health Agency (Northern Ireland) / HSE leaflet: Alcohol and pregnancy (printed 08/25) — unit table for common drinks; binge = 6 units or more; small amounts around conception; early pregnancy and miscarriage
- Tommy's: Can I drink alcohol during pregnancy? (last reviewed 27 June 2017) — experts cannot be sure how much is safe; talk to midwife or GP; withdrawal warning (page last reviewed 2017)
- Mother & Baby: How much can you drink during pregnancy? (undated) — rival: avoid alcohol advice, units not given, no helpline detail
- Greene King: Drinking in pregnancy — rival (brewer's responsible-drinking page): risk by trimester, no unit table or cooking detail
- Food Republic: Does alcohol actually burn off during cooking? (21 January 2025) — USDA-attributed retention: about 40% after 15 minutes, 25% after 1 hour, 5% after 2.5 hours
- Wikipedia: Cooking with alcohol (summarises Augustin et al. 1992 and the USDA retention table) — retention by method (85%, 75%, 70%, 45%) and by time; Augustin et al. 1992
- Drinkaware: What's the difference between low alcohol and alcohol-free drinks? (23 July 2020) — UK descriptors: alcohol-free 0.05%, de-alcoholised 0.5%, low alcohol 1.2%
- FoodNavigator: What does 'alcohol-free' really mean? (22 July 2026) — alcohol-free is still 0.05% or lower in July 2026; change to 0.5% under consideration
Safe swaps
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Pregnancy essentials
Pregnancy food guide
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Check Price →Digital food thermometer
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Want to know exactly what's in your food? Our ingredient checker covers E-numbers, allergens and vegan status.
More pregnancy essentials
Baby-safe food thermometer
Useful for pregnancy cooking checks and later for baby food.
Check Price →Alcohol: the other answers on this site
| Question | Short answer (links to the full page) |
|---|---|
| While breastfeeding | Caution — occasional only |
Common questions
Is it safe to drink any alcohol when pregnant?
No amount has been shown to be safe. The NHS says that if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy you should not drink alcohol, and Tommy's says experts cannot be sure how much, if any, is safe.
Is alcohol safe in the first trimester?
No. The NHS does not split its advice by trimester: it says drinking in pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage, premature birth and low birthweight. The Northern Ireland leaflet says drinking in early pregnancy can raise the risk of early miscarriage.
I drank before I knew I was pregnant. What should I do?
Stop drinking and tell your midwife or GP. The NHS says the risks of your baby being affected are likely to be low, and that you should avoid further drinking for the rest of the pregnancy.
Does the alcohol cook off in food made with wine?
Not completely. Food-science figures summarised from the USDA table put about 40% of the alcohol left after 15 minutes of baking or simmering and about 5% after 2.5 hours. We found no NHS statement on cooking with alcohol, so the cautious choice is to leave it out.
How many units is a glass of wine?
A 175ml glass of 12% wine is 2.1 units and a 250ml glass is 3 units, according to a Northern Ireland public health leaflet (August 2025). Strength varies, so check the label.
Is 0.0% beer or wine safe in pregnancy?
A drink labelled 0.0% has no alcohol to worry about. Under the current UK descriptors, 'alcohol-free' can still contain up to 0.05% and 'low alcohol' up to 1.2% (Drinkaware). See our page on <a href='/can-you-eat-alcohol-free-beer-when-pregnant/'>alcohol-free beer</a>.
Where can I get help to stop drinking while pregnant?
Talk to your midwife or GP first. The NHS lists the Drinkaware helpline on 0300 123 1110 (weekdays 9am to 8pm, weekends 11am to 4pm), We Are With You and Alcoholics Anonymous.
Related answers
Primary source: NHS foods-to-avoid guidance.
General information only, not medical advice: see the medical disclaimer. Feeling unwell after eating something? Contact NHS 111 or your GP.