Drinking alcohol during pregnancy not so bad after all
According to new research, pregnant women who have one to two drinks containing alcohol a week during pregnancy may not actually harm a developing fetus.
This new study suggests that women who drink a glass of wine a week will do no harm to their baby. The research was conducted by a team at University College London and is expected to open the long running argument over how alcohol affects the mental and physical welfare of the unborn baby.
A drink was defined as a small glass of wine, a half-pint of beer or a single serving of hard alcohol.
Prior to this new study, government health officials have advised that women who are attempting to conceive or who are pregnant should not drink any alcohol because it has proved impossible to demonstrate a safe amount of alcohol consumption in pregnancy. This new study, which includes data from more than 11,000 babies born between September 2000 and January 2002, has determined no significant differences in the behavioral and cognitive development of children whose mothers either abstained from alcohol or drank lightly while pregnant.
Women were characterized as light drinkers if they had no more than one or two beverages a week.
The research also found that children whose mothers consumed higher amounts of alcohol are more likely to be hyperactive and have emotional and behavioral problems.
When a pregnant woman consumes alcohol, it passes through the placenta and reaches the baby, which is less well-equipped to break the alcohol down.
AS an Adoptive mom who has raised a child born with fetal alcohol exposure I can honestly say that the information given in this article is WRONG! Reaserch studies cleary show that NO AMOUNT of Alcohol consumed by a pregnant women is safe so why encourage them to do so and risk the health of their unborn baby. The neurological damage that is caused by the alcohol is devastating for parents and a lifelong disabiity for the child from mild to to severe mental retardation, learning disabilities, behavior problems and other disorders associated with FAS/FAE they can even develop a Psychotic Disorder. These chldren are very difficult to raise to educate and to get proper medical treatment and often end up as juvenile offenders. It’s not worth it. Marriages also end due to the extreme stress and financial costs raising these children.
WHY take the risk??
It also says “MAY” not “will NOT” cause damage.
What about the person who does try to take 1 or 2 drinks? And that leads to 3 or 4? Or getting drunk?
What about a person who is an alcoholic trying not to drink during pregnancy? And now they are given permission to have 1 or 2 drinks. An alcoholic cannot stop at 1 or 2.
This is ONLY in London. I also saw on the news that the heavy drinkers dropped out of the study….so the numbers quoted are not accurate.
This study was done on 5 year olds.
My child was tested at 5 years old for FASD. She too fell in the “normal” range, but at the very bottom of the chart. A dx was not made until after 6, at which age the REAL problems begin to surface.
I am curious to know where on the chart, these children fell.
As the adoptive parent of a child with FASD and a co moderator of a FASD support group…..
There is NO known safe amount of alcohol to consume while pregnant.
Here’s a thought….
What if I told you that Studies indicate that 1 or 2 drops of poison won’t hurt your baby.
It will only hurt the baby if you give it 10 drops.
Are you going to give the baby the 1 or 2 drops?
If NO…then DON’T drink alcohol when pregnant.
I am appalled by this article! To suggest that ANY amount of alcohol is safe during pregnancy is insane! I am with Tabitha…as an adoptive mother to a child affected by alcohol, the risk is too high! This child of mine, such a precious child struggles with so much in life. She often questions me why she is this way, and well…it all goes back to ALCOHOL! Please stop the insanity!
I am livid. This article is very misleading. A pregnant woman develops a craving for alcohol and she can assuage it by “drinking lightly”. Since when can a pregnant woman with a craving, satisfy that craving by having just a sip or two? It’s not possible. I am raising five fetal alcohol affected children as their Guardian; three others in the foster system prior to their arrival; it’s an organic disorder that medication cannot cure; it’s brain damage, depending on when the alcohol is consumed, as to where and what it affects. Why not just tell the Moms to play Russian Roulete, you will have the same results.
I am trully stunned by how could they publish and even consider doing such research… For what ??? To encourage the stupid ones drinking with less guilt???
Alcohol is a substance that effects dopamine receptors in the brain which have highly addictive response to certain drugs inclueding alcohol… and thus is in adults body… so thinking about a BABY who is growing the brain in the womb…. a logic and a common sense would give one an answer that if the ALCOHOL affects adult… it MUST by definition affect not yet born BABY. …