Every woman is different.  No amount of drinking is 100 percent safe, 100 percent of the time, for every individual woman.  Alcohol affects women differently than men due to their body make up and chemistry. 

• A woman’s body has more fat and less water than a man’s.  When a woman drinks, the alcohol is less diluted.  It becomes more highly concentrated in her blood.
• Women process less alcohol in the stomach than men.  That leaves more alcohol to reach the bloodstream.  The higher concentration and amount of alcohol in the blood cause women to become intoxicated faster than men. 
• Women may become more easily intoxicated during their menstrual cycle.
• Women who drink heavily face greater health risks than men who drink heavily.  They are more prone to liver disease, heart damage 4, and brain damage.  
• Studies show that women with alcoholism are up to twice as likely as men to die from alcohol related causes such as suicide, accidents and illnesses.
• Chronic heavy drinking can lead to menstrual problems, infertility, and early menopause.  Drinking during adolescence can interfere with puberty, growth, and bone health.  
• Heavy drinking can make a woman more vulnerable to violence, including sexual assault. 
• Women who drink are also more likely to have unprotected sex and contract a sexually transmitted disease.

Wisconsin leads the nation in binge drinking for women (more than 4 “standard drinks” in about 2 hours), with 16% of Wisconsin women reporting they binge drink.  The national average is 9.8%.  A standard drink equals 12 ounces of beer or wine cooler, 5 ounces of wine, 1.5 ounces of liquor.

Alcohol & Pregnancy

Wisconsin women of childbearing age (19-44), lead the nation in alcohol consumption at 68%.  The national average is 50%. Learn More

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
According to the Institute of Medicine Repot to Congress, 1996:  “Of all the substances of abuse (including cocaine, heroin, and marijuana), alcohol produces by far the most serious neurobehavioral effects in the fetus.” Learn More

More Resources

• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administrations (SAMHSA.  Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Locator, findtreatment.samhsa.gov, and Toll-Free Referral Helpline, 1-800-662-HELP (1-800-662-4357).
• National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).  Alcohol:  A Women’s Health Issue (video); 301-496-8176.
• National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information, 800-729-6686, ncadi.samhsa.gov
• www.stopalcoholabuse.gov
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  Questions and Answers on Alcohol Consumption, www.cdc.gov/alcohol/faqs.htm

Health professional should inquire routinely about alcohol consumption by women of childbearing age, inform them of the risks of alcohol consumption during pregnancy, and advise them not to drink alcoholic beverages during pregnancy.

--Surgeon General Richard Carmona, February 2005