Roughly 15% of pregnant women in the United States report drinking alcohol, consuming at least one alcoholic drink in the past month. Nearly 5% reported binge drinking and 2.2% engage in heaving drinking. The CDC says the figures mark a noticeable rise from the 13.5% drinking rate during a previous study. Women who reported frequent mental distress or those who weren’t married were up to three times as likely to drink heavily. The CDC says “alcohol consumption during pregnancy remains a public health concern in the United States,” and urges medical providers to integrate routine mental health and substance screenings into standard prenatal care.
