Light drinking during pregnancy ‘may be OK’ as researchers find limited evidence of harm
But experts say it could still be best to play it safe and steer clear of alcohol
PREGNANT women who enjoy the occasional tipple are unlikely to harm their babies, say researchers.
The evidence proving light drinking was dangerous was “surprisingly limited”, they concluded.
But they insisted the best advice for pregnant women was to play safe and steer clear of alcohol.
Heavy drinking has long been known to harm unborn babies and is linked to birth defects, developmental delay, behavioural problems and impaired intelligence.
Researchers from Bristol University pooled evidence from 26 previous studies to look at the effects of drinking up to four units of alcohol — the equivalent of two glasses of wine — a week.
They found that, on average, it was associated with an eight per cent higher risk of having a small baby compared with drinking no alcohol at all. There was also a potential risk linked to premature birth, although this was less clear.
But they said there was too little data to “make robust conclusions”.
Risk expert Professor David Spiegelhalter, from the University of Cambridge, said: “With luck this should dispel any guilt and anxiety felt by women who have an occasional glass of wine while they are pregnant.”