Pregnancy comes with many things to think about. Alcohol is one of the most important. A new study published in Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research (2026) shows how drinking during pregnancy can shape the health choices young people make in their teens. The findings go well beyond the nine months of pregnancy.

What the Research Found

Researchers at the University of Bristol used data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). This is one of the most detailed birth cohort studies in the world. The study drew on 6,752 participants. Researchers looked at how infrequent, frequent, and binge drinking during pregnancy connected to “multiple risk behaviours” (MRBs) at age 16. These included hazardous alcohol use, regular smoking, cannabis use, drug use, antisocial behaviour, and sexual risk-taking.

The results were striking.

Teenagers whose mothers drank frequently during pregnancy were 45% more likely to engage in hazardous alcohol use by age 16. Here, frequent drinking meant at least one glass of wine per week or the equivalent. Even infrequent drinking showed some link to hazardous alcohol use in adolescence.

Prenatal binge drinking also raised concern. Researchers defined it as two or more pints of beer or equivalent on at least one occasion. Teenagers with this exposure were 34% more likely to engage in underage sexual intercourse. They also showed a higher overall number of risk behaviours.

These are not small figures. They reflect real differences for real young people.

Why Drinking in Pregnancy Matters Beyond Birth

Many people think the risks of drinking during pregnancy stop at birth. This research tells a different story. The effects of alcohol exposure before birth appear to carry forward, shaping behaviours well into the teenage years.

Alcohol is a known teratogen. It interferes with normal foetal brain development. Long-term effects can include poor impulse control, difficulty with decision-making, and trouble managing risk. Epigenetic changes also play a role. These are shifts in how genes express themselves. Research suggests they keep influencing brain development long after the original exposure.

Animal studies add to this picture. Prenatal ethanol exposure appears to increase alcohol consumption in offspring during adolescence. This points to a biological pathway, not just a social one.

The combination of hazardous drinking and underage sexual activity in adolescence raises another serious concern. Young people in this situation may go on to drink during their own pregnancies. This could pass the same risks to the next generation.

The Scale of the Problem in the UK

The UK holds the fourth highest estimated rate of alcohol consumption during pregnancy worldwide, at around 41%. Europe as a region records a rate of foetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) roughly 2.6 times higher than the global average. Among UK school children, researchers estimate FASD prevalence at 1.8%. When probable cases are included, that figure rises to 3.6%.

These numbers show why this research matters so much in a UK context. Drinking in pregnancy is not a rare issue. It affects a large share of pregnancies. And as this study shows, the consequences can reach well into adolescence.

What This Means for Parents and Professionals

The UK Chief Medical Officers are clear. The safest choice during pregnancy, or when pregnancy is possible, is to avoid alcohol entirely. This study adds weight to that guidance.

Parents should read this as a call for awareness. The research does not say every child with prenatal alcohol exposure will develop these risk behaviours. It does show the risk is real and grows with the amount consumed.

Healthcare professionals gain something important from these findings too. Screening for hazardous alcohol use in teenagers with known prenatal alcohol exposure could be a useful step. Conversations about drinking during pregnancy should always be handled with empathy. Stigma stops people from seeking help, and that helps no one.

Drinking in Pregnancy and the Case for Prevention

The evidence points to one clear conclusion. There is no established safe level of alcohol during pregnancy. The more alcohol consumed, the greater the risks. And those risks extend well beyond birth.

Treating this as a public health issue, rather than a purely personal one, helps focus the response. Targeted education, early screening, and accessible support services all matter. Together they can reduce the prevalence of prenatal alcohol exposure and protect the long-term health of young people.

If you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy and have questions about alcohol, speak to your GP or midwife as a first step.

Reference: Parsonage, J. T. I., Tinner, L., Troy, D., Taylor, C. M., & McQuire, C. (2026). Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and the Development of Multiple Risk Behaviours in Adolescence: A Birth Cohort Study. Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research, 50, e70286.

Source: dbrecoveryresources