We all know drinking while pregnant is a big no-no. But what about that night out the town before you discovered you were in fact pregnant? Or that half a glass of red at the dinner party when you’re approaching the 38th week mark – sure baby is practically on his way out now? Can a sip of Prosecco at brunch with the girls really do any harm?
There are many questions around alcohol and amounts of it when it comes to pregnancy, and the lines as to how much is too much has been confusing and blurred. But not anymore.
According to a clinical report issued this week by the American Academy of Pediatrics pregnant women should consume NO alcohol AT ALL.
“Since alcohol-related birth defects and developmental disabilities are completely preventable when pregnant women abstain from alcohol use, the standard should be no drinking at all.”
The report looks at fetal alcohol sprectrum disorder, a broad term that ranges from the serious birth defects of fetal alcohol syndrome through to milder problems like hyperactivity, attention problems, difficulty in school, learning disabilities, speech and language delays and poor reasoning.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the US, one in ten women reports drinking some alcohol when pregnant, while one in 33 claiming they binge drank while pregnant. Interestingly; women who drank while pregnant were more likely to be over 35, college educated and unmarried.
Drinking while pregnant continues to be a HUGE problem on our shores as well, with a report published earlier this year in the British Medical Journal Open showing that Ireland has higher rates of drinking before (90%) and during (82%) pregnancy among ourselves, Australia, the UK and New Zealand.
The messages about how much and if any alcohol is safe to consume during pregnancy have been always mixed, but the reality is there’s no escaping the fact that as a whole, studies on drinking while pregnant show increased risk to the baby.
Of course not all babies whose mothers drank while pregnant will end up having problems, but fact is there is no way of knowing whether your child will be one of the ones affected. Here is one case where we strongly think better safe than sorry is the motto to go with.
What do YOU think about this latest finding? Did YOU drink while pregnant? Would you do so after having read this? Please let us know and send me an e-mail at [email protected]
