Fast fact: More than ten percent of women in the U.S. drink during pregnancy. Here's why that's harmful. An unborn baby and booze don't mix, and you'd be hard pressed to find a doctor to disagree. When consumed during pregnancy, alcohol travels through your blood to your placenta and reaches your baby. Because a fetus breaks down alcohol much more slowly than an adult, it will often have higher blood alcohol levels than its mother. As a result, a baby that is given alcohol in the womb is more likely to develop any number of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control lists exposure to alcohol as the number one most preventable risk for birth defects. The most severe illness that can result from in utero exposure to alcohol is Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, a lifelong condition characterized by poor growth (both in the womb and after birth), abnormal facial features, mental retardation, behavioral problems, and delays in development. Even when Fetal Alcohol Syndrome doesn't occur, alcohol exposure can still lead to miscarriage, very early birth, and a host of other mental and behavioral problems. If you're pregnant, it's important to stop drinking as soon as you find out - your child's future depends on it.