More than one in eight pregnant adults in the United States reported drinking alcohol in the past month, according to an analysis of 2024 government data. About a quarter of those who drank reported binge drinking, defined as four or more drinks in one sitting, in the past month.

The analysis also found that alcohol use during pregnancy is more common than gestational diabetes in the U.S. Rates of alcohol use in pregnancy in the U.S. remain lower than in several peer nations.

Alcohol use in pregnancy in the United States declined over the past 50 years and began increasing around 10 years ago. Researchers have said they are concerned that Americans are questioning the conventional medical advice to avoid all alcohol during pregnancy.

Alcohol exposure before birth causes fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, which are among the most common neurodevelopmental conditions in the U.S. Recent federally funded community studies found that as many as 1 in 20 school-aged children may have a disorder caused by prenatal alcohol exposure. By comparison, about 1 in 31 American children has autism, according to recent estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Prenatal alcohol exposure contributes to disability in the U.S. Not all fetuses exposed to alcohol before birth have birth defects or develop intellectual disabilities, researchers have said. All individuals diagnosed with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders experienced harm from prenatal alcohol exposure.

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders are caused solely by prenatal alcohol exposure, making the conditions entirely preventable, according to researchers. The disorders can affect behavior, learning, and physical development, and symptoms vary widely among those affected. Because the conditions are not always visibly apparent and can resemble other developmental disorders, researchers have said fetal alcohol spectrum disorders are frequently underdiagnosed in the U.S.