New research is bound to get the attention of expectant moms. A British study shows light drinking may be safe during pregnancy.
The research, published online the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, finds a glass of wine or two a week may be safe for moms-to-be. Researchers say pregnant women who drank small amounts of alcohol went on to have children with no more social or emotional behavior problems than kids whose mothers didn't drink at all during pregnancy. In this study, a drink was defined as a very small glass of wine, eight ounces of beer or an ounce of hard liquor.
By no means are researchers encouraging expectant moms to drink, because it's not clear exactly what amount of alcohol is safe. For now, pregnant women are still strongly advised not to drink at all.
In fact, the March of Dimes, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality, strongly discourages drinking while pregnant.
We already know drinking moderate and heavy amounts of alcohol during pregnancy can lead to a wide range of physical and mental birth defects. The results can be devastating. Up to 40,000 babies are born in the U.S. each year with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. Babies can be born with organs not formed properly, a small and abnormally formed brain and some degree of mental disability. The effects last a lifetime.
On its website, the March of Dimes notes that researchers are still examining the more subtle effects of moderate and light drinking during pregnancy. The organization cites these recent studies:
A 2002 study found that 14-year-old children whose mothers drank as little as one drink a week were significantly shorter and leaner and had a smaller head circumference (a possible indicator of brain size) than children of women who did not drink at all.
A 2001 study found that 6- and 7-year-old children of mothers who had as little as one drink a week during pregnancy were more likely than children of non-drinkers to have behavior problems, such as aggressive and delinquent behaviors. These researchers found that children whose mothers drank any alcohol during pregnancy were more than three times as likely as unexposed children to demonstrate delinquent behaviors.
A 2007 study suggested that female children of women who drank less than one drink a week were more likely to have behavioral and emotional problems at 4 and 8 years of age. The study also suggested similar effects in boys, but at higher levels of drinking.
Other studies report behavioral and learning problems in children exposed to moderate drinking during pregnancy, including attention and memory problems, hyperactivity, impulsivity, poor social and communication skills, psychiatric problems (including mood disorders) and alcohol and drug use.
Not surprisingly, people are already sounding off on this story online. One reader writes, "Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is serious stuff, I have a family member who works with these kids and from what little I saw of it I hope this study does not lead to more kids to suffer with this condition."
Another says, "Whether it does hurt the fetus or not? Why take the risk?? Just don't drink. Its only nines months."
And yet another reader disagrees, saying, "Every one of us most-likely had ancestors who drank while pregnant, likely over generations..."
So how much is too much when you're expecting? Do you think it's safe to drink during pregnancy? Would you drink a small amount? Share your thoughts below.
