‘Little evidence’ occasional drink while pregnant harms your baby
‘Women can be trusted’
THERE is little evidence that drinking lightly while pregnant does any harm to a baby, a major review has concluded.
Researchers found ‘surprisingly limited’ proof that mothers-to-be having an occasional drink has any impact.
Government advice last year recommended women abstain from alcohol completely while pregnant, or risk ‘long-term’ harm to their baby.
But critics warned this advice is unduly worrying, especially those who drink before finding out that they are expecting.
The Bristol University review, published in the journal BMJ Open, reveals there is very little evidence that drinking up to four units a week – roughly equivalent to two glasses of wine – led to birth defects, developmental delay, behavioural problems or impaired intelligence.
The researchers stressed that the lack of evidence does not mean drinking is safe – and recommended that pregnant women avoid alcohol just in case.
But others said the study should ‘dispel’ the ‘guilt and anxiety’ felt by pregnant women who have an occasional glass of wine.
While there is plenty of evidence heavy drinking severely harms a baby, critics said women should be trusted to know the difference between the odd drink and bingeing. Until last year, women were told they could drink up to one or two units, once or twice a week.
But in January 2016 official advice was changed as medical advisers said that there was no evidence of a ‘safe level’ of alcohol consumption.
For the new review, scientists examined all available research on the effects of light drinking in pregnancy. They found that up to four units a week while pregnant, on average, was associated with an 8 per cent higher risk of having a small baby.
There was also a potential risk linked to premature birth, although this was less clear. But they said there was insufficient data to ‘make robust conclusions’.
They concluded: ‘Evidence of the effects of drinking (up to 32g of alcohol [four units] per week) in pregnancy is sparse.’
The team called for more studies but said, in the meantime, it was safer for women to abstain. They said: ‘In conclusion, we found limited evidence for a causal role of light drinking in pregnancy, compared with abstaining, on most of the outcomes examined.’
The researchers acknowledged that up to 80 per cent of pregnant women drink some alcohol during their pregnancy.
David Spiegelhalter, professor for the public understanding of risk at Cambridge University, said the study showed the warnings were ‘not justified by evidence’.
He said: ‘A precautionary approach is still reasonable, but with luck this should dispel any guilt and anxiety felt by women who have an occasional glass of wine while they are pregnant.’
Dr Christoph Lees, clinical reader in obstetrics at Imperial College London, said Government advice was based on ‘weak evidence’, adding: ‘Whilst it is possible that light drinking is associated with a slightly higher risk of having a small baby, there are other possible explanations.’
The British Pregnancy Advisory Service said: ‘What seems to lie at the heart of public messages addressing alcohol in pregnancy is whether women can be trusted to understand the existing evidence, and whether they are able to recognise the difference between light and heavy drinking.’
A Department of Health spokesman said: ‘ It is important to remember the purpose of these guidelines – they are low-risk guidelines. As the evidence is uncertain, the lowest risk approach is to avoid alcohol during pregnancy.’