Diet and Health FAQ

Tagged As: Wine During Pregnancy

Question:
I read here a few weeks ago that it's considered safe to drink 1-2 glasses of an alcoholic beverage such as wine 1-2 times per week. Since all my pregnancy books from my 1st pregnancy 8 years ago said there was NO known safe dosage of alcohol during pregnancy, I thought that perhaps this other recommendation indicated new research into the effects of alcohol on the developing fetus. However, I have since been sent a bunch of newer informational material from my insurance company and have seen my midwife, and both these sources continue to toe the line that one should not drink at all during pregnancy. So, where does this idea that it's OK to drink 1-2 glasses 1-2 times per week come from? FYI, my instincts tell me that an occasional glass of wine or beer would be completely harmless and I suspect that this extreme recommendation to abstain from all alcohol is simply an example of the medical establishment patronizing us laypeople (e.g., they can only understand black (drinking freely) and white (total abstinence) so recommend white). It's also my understanding that European women have never felt the need to totally abstain from alcohol during pregnancy. However, since all my experts tell me abstain, I do, other than the very occasional (3X since learning I was pregnant 9 weeks ago) 1/2 glass of white wine with a meal, about which I immediately feel guilty. I am not a heavy or even regular drinker even when not pregnant, by the way, so total abstinence would not be a problem if it were warranted.

Answer:
the zero tolerance plan is the usual American overreaction to everything -- there isn't any evidence that an occasional drink is harmful, alcohol was the routine prescription for premature labor until recently, and there are many cultures where moderate use of wine is the norm -- they seem to have babies It used to be common-place to drink (and smoke) during pregnancy in North America too. In many countries where drinking (wine etc..) is (was) the norm they are now changing their policies and advice to pregnant women from moderate drinking is ok to abstain... now that research is suggesting that even low and moderate drinking is harmful. While there is always studies that will show one thing and others that will have differing opinions/conclusions...I personally think that if there is even a possible danger to the fetus...I can't imagine not erring on the side of caution. (This is a topic that I have done some research on...so if anyone has current, or fairly current, research, that suggests any alcohol consumption is safe...I would love to see it...please include links or as much of the actual research as possible :) (January, 2000) (article snipped..see link for more) Even pregnant women who stick rigidly to government advice on how much is safe to drink may be damaging their unborn children, researchers in Belfast have said. Official advice is that pregnant women can safely drink up to four units of alcohol a week. But researchers at Queen's University have said their tests on babies in the womb have revealed that even drinking the equivalent of four glasses of wine a week can affect development. The government is being urged to re-consider its advice in light of the new findings. ...Research fellow Dr Jennifer Little, who conducted the study, said: The results show that even low levels of alcohol may have an effect on the central nervous system functioning. We don't want to concern women, but until we can absolutely say that a certain level of alcohol will have no effect, I would urge caution. American women are advised not to drink at all during pregnancy but more than two-thirds of British mothers-to-be do not totally give up. The Royal College of Midwives had previously said up to eight units was a safe limit. http://news6.thdo.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/northern%5Fireland/newsid%5... ... Maternal alcohol consumption even at low levels was adversely related to child behavior; a dose-response relationship was also identified. The effect was observed at average levels of exposure of as low as 1 drink per week. http://www.pediatrics.org/cgi/content/full/108/2/e34 This is a *great* website for information. They've been studying alcohol and the effects on children for close to 30 years. They've studied varying amounts of alcohol at various times in pg and whether the mother drinks consistently (one glass per day) or binge drinks (6-8 drinks in one night once a month), and you can order the articles (free service) and the 25 year study summary. http://depts.washington.edu/fadu/