Light drinking ‘unlikely to harm in pregnancy’

WOMEN who indulge in light drinking during pregnancy are unlikely to harm their babies, experts have said, as a major review finds “sparse” evidence to support government warnings.

In the study, published in the British Medical Journal, researchers found little indication that light drinking in pregnancy causes harm to babies, including birth defects, developmental delay, behavioural problems and impaired intelligence.

The findings were welcomed by scientists, who said women should be informed of potential unproven risks but left to make up their own minds.

However, they warned that a lack of evidence is not proof that it is safe to drink. Official NHS guidance from the Chief Medical Officers for the UK, published last year, says pregnant women should not drink, as a “better to be safe than sorry” approach.

Researchers at the University of Bristol examined 26 previous studies on the effects of light drinking during pregnancy. This was defined as up to four units of alcohol per week, a unit being roughly equivalent to half a pint of beer or half a standard glass of wine.

They found that drinking such levels while pregnant was associated with an 8 per cent higher risk of having a small baby compared with drinking no alcohol at all. However, other experts suggest that could be influenced by factors other than alcohol.

The researchers said there was insufficient data, adding: “However, describing the paucity of current research and explaining that ‘absence of evidence is not evidence of absence’, appears warranted.”