Expert: Norman Solberg - 4/25/2010

Question
My husband and I have been trying for a couple months to get pregnant.  We rarely drink any alcohol but every time we go to a family function for a birthday party, there is always one glass of champagne and a toast.  Until we know we are pregnant, we don't want to tell the family we are trying and saying no to this glass of champagne would make it quite obvious.

We haven't gotten pregnant yet, and next weekend we have a party to go to.  It will be about 21 days into my cycle so too early to tell whether or not we are pregnant this month (and maybe too early for implantation to actually have occurred).

If I took a pregnancy test the morning of the party and it is negative, how much danger would 1 glass of champagne present if I later found out I was pregnant?  If there is danger, I will somehow try to avoid it without making it obvious, but I'm not sure if the alcohol would have an impact that early?  Thank you.

Answer
Hi Lisa,
I wouldn't worry about a glass of champagne when you might be pregnant.  I've been around a while and remember when women didn't think twice about drinking during pregnancy.  Fetal alcohol syndrome is real, but it's from excessive alcohol.  Some say avoid alcohol entirely, but I really doubt that an occasional glass of champagne, even so early in pregnancy, will cause any problem.  A pregnancy test is very unlikely to be positive by day 21.  Best wishes.