Alcohol in the Amniotic fluid

[ringsaglitter]

Hi guys,

I've had a bit of a mess up. I am pregnant, but I had a semi-weak positive test, followed by a negative test the next day - so thought I'd had another chemical pregnancy. My symptoms (sore breasts, cramping) also went, and it's not my first time to go through this.

So a couple days later I had a couple of beers as I was on holiday (thank goodness nothing heavier but still), then next day, I dunno, something felt off so I did another test......and it was positive.
Of course I'm happy, and taking my folic acid, not touching alcohol again etc however the beers I had were around day 12, when the amniotic sac and fluid starts.

We know that before the placenta is formed, alcohol still reaches the baby via the yolk sac:

"Alcohol consumed at any stage of pregnancy can reach the baby. In the earliest stages of pregnancy the developing embryo gets its nutrients from a structure called the yolk sac. Alcohol from the mother’s bloodstream can pass into the yolk sac"

https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/32962/#:~:text=Alcohol%20consumed%20at%20any%20stage,pass%20into%20the%20yolk%20sac.

And that the amniotic sac forms around day 12, with the ability to remove alcohol at 3 to 4 % of the mothes rate. So the 4.5 units of beer I drank will have taken about 6 days to leave the amniotic fluid, according to my calculation, however......

In the past I read, and I've seen a documentary where it stated very clearly that trace amounts of alcohol stay in the amniotic fluid permantly. Is this correct? Is anyone able to link me to something about this?

I know everyone says what's done is done, but I can't help worrying now

Also, has anyone else had a positive test, then negative, then positive again?

@ringsaglitter just so you know it’s 100% fine to drink coffee and upsets me that most women don’t know this and go on about how much they’re struggling without coffee. NHS guidelines say up to two cups a day is fine.

Thanks for the replies everyone. :)

I've noticed a few people quoting the NHS - that's a thing for British people, living in the UK. I live in Japan, and the acceptable/ unacceptable foods etc here are a little different. For example, sushi (which means raw fish with rice - never cooked fish) is fine while pregnant, and even considered a good option.

I'm sure there's some similarities as well, but as I've never been pregnant in the UK I wouldn't really know. x

Of course people are quoting the NHS - this is a predominantly British forum. That's where we get our health advice. Which is largely science-based and not cultural. It may be that some advice is on the basis of it being "a thing for British people, living in the UK", such as the differences re sushi - though I would do your own research on that, if I were you - but much of it applies everywhere. If you object to hearing advice targeted at "British people, living in the UK" then why not ask on a more locally-targeted forum?

With coffee I bought a decaf version and did half caffeine and half decaf when pregnant- might make you feel better?