Is there any safe amount of alcohol during pregnancy?

In this episode of Unknown Variables, I sit down with Dr. Alexandra Perez, PsyD, a licensed clinical psychologist and Assistant Professor at Emory University, to unpack one of the most misunderstood—and rarely discussed—topics in public health: prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE).

Despite what many people hear from friends, social media, or even doctors, the science tells a more complicated story. Dr. Perez explains why no amount of alcohol has been proven safe during pregnancy, how prenatal alcohol exposure affects brain development, and why many children and adults are impacted without obvious physical signs.

We explore:

1. Why doctors sometimes say “one glass is fine” — and what the evidence actually shows
2. What Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) really are (and why most cases go undiagnosed)
3. How prenatal exposure can increase risk for ADHD, anxiety, depression, and behavioral challenges later in life
4. The role of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and environment — not just biology
5. Why many kids are misdiagnosed when underlying neurodevelopmental differences go untested
6. How Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) helps repair parent–child relationships and reduce disruptive behavior
7. The unique barriers faced by Spanish-speaking and Latine families in healthcare and research
8. Why simply “translating materials into Spanish” is not enough
9. How to talk about alcohol and pregnancy without shame or stigma

This conversation is not about blame — it’s about education, prevention, compassion, and better systems of care.

If you’re pregnant, trying to conceive, a parent, clinician, educator, or simply someone who wants to better understand how early life experiences shape mental health, this episode is for you.