Statistics/Manitoba by the Numbers
According to research done by Healthy Child Manitoba, some 17,447 women gave birth in Manitoba between 2007 and 2008. Of these women:
| 15.2% | reported some alcohol use during pregnancy |
| 6.1% | reported binge drinking β or drinking five or more drinks in one occasion β while pregnant |
| 2.2% | reported alcohol use after discovering their pregnancy |
Other research shows that of all pregnant Manitoba women:
| 50% | did not expect their pregnancy |
| 50% | of those who reported alcohol use before they knew they were pregnant consumed at a rate considered risky for fetal development. |
| 80% | stopped using alcohol upon discovering their pregnancy |
For many women, drinking seems more like a necessity than a choice β and this can make quitting when pregnant feel like itβs not even an option.