There has been a flurry of news articles written about alcohol in pregnancy after a study was released this past week on the topic of alcohol and pregnancy. While many news outlets are running headlines that say small amounts of alcohol are fine in pregnancy, that is not what the study says. In fact, the study actually says, "Furthermore, as no safe level of drinking during pregnancy has been established, the most conservative advice for women is not to drink alcohol during pregnancy."
So put down your wine glasses for a minute and consider this tweet warning from the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists:
Given the potential risks associated with alcohol, you probably want to get advice from your midwife or doctor that you trust. Make your decision based on their knowledge of you and your medical history and your comfortable level. Let the news outlets have their say, but remember, at the end of the day, you wind up living with the potential consequences.
This is why it is so difficult to get good studies of risks on pregnant women. You can't randomly assign pregnant women to a group where they think there may be harm involved, like drinking or smoking.
Have you talked to your practitioner yet?
Related:
- Alcohol and Pregnancy Don't Mix
- Readers Share: Your Thoughts on Alcohol and Pregnancy
- Drinking in Early Pregnancy
- Newly Non-Drinking Girl's Guide to Pregnancy
- Surviving a Party While Pregnant
Source:
Kesmodel U, Bertrand J, Støvring H, Skarpness B, Denny C, Mortensen E, the Lifestyle During Pregnancy Study Group. The effect of different alcohol drinking patterns in early to mid pregnancy on the child's intelligence, attention, and executive function. BJOG 2012; DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.2012.03393.x.
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