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Possible good news for those who question the "total abstinence" view when it comes to consuming alcohol during pregnancy.
A new study from researchers in London, reported on by the BBC, suggests that women who drink a small amount of alcohol while pregnant do not increase their child's risk for behavioral problems. (Light drinking was classified as one or two drinks a week.)
Does this call for a sip of bubbly?
Researchers examined 12,500 moms who either abstained or drank varying degrees of alcohol while pregnant and, later, followed up with their three-year-olds to look for signs of behavioral or learning problems.
For the light drinkers, not only were there no problems, the study even found that those children were at a lower risk for some concerns, like conduct or emotional issues (possibly because the light drinkers tended to be better educated, to come from higher income brackets, and were less likely to have smoked during pregnancy.)
Still, moderation is key -- some experts were concerned that the findings might lull women into a false sense of security, and there's no doubt that fetal alcohol syndrome in cases of sustained heavy drinking is a risk.
2bmom09 asked if it was OK for moms-to-be to have a glass of wine in Answers, and got varied responses.
- Some moms said definitely not. Why take a chance?
- Others said, sure, the occasional glass of wine was fine and that they hadn't abstained completely during pregnancy.
- Others said to talk to your doctor and figure out what's safe and what feels right to you.
What do you think? Are you abstaining completely, or do you think a glass or two while pregnant is OK?
Comments (19)
I have not and will not drink alcohol while I am pregnant. I won't even drink coffee or soda. This is my first though, so I am being very careful.
With my first I did not have an ounce of caffeine or a glass of wine; with my second I had a cup of coffee a day -- and every once in a while I would have a glass of wine. I was much more careful during my first pregnancy -- but both my kids turned out just fine.
With my first (twins) I abstained from alcohol and caffeine. I intend to do the same with this pregnancy, though I have been drinking decaf coffee, which I did not do with the first. I do not judge those who do decide to partake in a sip or two, but if anything ever happened with my pregnancy, I would not want to be able to say, "I wish I had not had that drink!"
Women who choose not to abstain from alcohol disappoint me greatly. Women have a lifetime of sacrifices to look forward to for their children, why not start during pregnancy? For once in their miserable lives, why try thinking about someone other than themselves? Why take the chances of something happening? You don't know at what moment, those cells are developing, what drastic and fragile processes are happening at any given moment, why take the drink and risk it all?
Alicia0820. Who are you to judge someone else? To say that those women are being selfish and use the term "for once in theri miserable lives"? I have an idea! Why don't we join convents and devote our lives to saving people in third world countries! (<--sarcasm)
Geeze, you may be entitled to your own opinion, but it would be great if you could follow the "if you don't have anything nice to say don't say it at all" rule.
With my last, i had an occasional glass of red wine... like once a month maybe... i dont think that my life was "miserable" and i do not think it is now either... are we saying that 20 years ago when my MIL was drinking a bottle a day with my DH, that she was a miserable person.. no there just wasn't the constant bantering to say that it was wrong... and there weren't people like You (alicia0820) to make us feel like crap...
I wouldn't drink any alcohol during pregnancy, or while trying to conceive a pregnancy, but like everyone else has pointed out, it's such a personal decision. There is research that says that the tiniest amount could be dangerous, and there is research (like the link above) that says otherwise. Everyone needs to evaluate the information that's out there and make their own decision.
i've also heard that if you drink a little wine while breastfeeding it helps draw milk out, I have done this and it seems to work although I didn't do it a whole lot just on occasion.
This is a flawed study. The study used answers from surveys to determine the level of alcohol. Self-reporting of drinking by mothers is the least scientific method of gathering information. In an April 2008 study, when hair sampliing was done, 26% of women showed evidence of drinking and only less than 3% self-reported. In another study, from the University of Boston Public Health, 73% of women who denied drinking were found to have markers in their urine showing evidence of alcohol. This British study is unscientific, verging on unethical.
IF YOU CAN'T GO 9 MONTHS WITHOUT ALCOHOL YOU HAVE A SERIOUS PROBLEM I AM A FULLY TIME COLLEGE STUDENT WHO IS 7 MONTHS PREGNANT AND EVEN KNOW THERE ARE A TON OF PARTIES AROUND CAMPUS I WOULD FEEL REALLY BAD FOR EVEN TAKING THE SMALLEST RISK WITH MY CHILD