Moderate Drinking Could Carry Preterm Risk, Study Finds

Lisa Franchi March 12, 2014

There has been a long debate over whether it is safe to drink at all during pregnancy. But the latest research findings from the University of Leeds suggest that even moderate drinking during the earliest months of pregnancy may be damaging.

According to the current NHS guidelines, pregnant women should avoid drinking alcohol. However, if they choose to drink, then they should not have more than two units of alcohol (about one pint) twice a week, as heavy drinking during pregnancy may affect the baby’s development.

The new study, which involved 1,264 women, showed drinking more than the two units limit doubled the risk of premature birth, but even drinking at the limit increased the risk.

"This is a very sensitive issue, we don’t want women who are pregnant now to panic, the individual risk is actually low.” Camilla Nykjaer, one of the researchers at the University of Leeds, told the BBC. "They shouldn’t drink; they should stop drinking if they have been drinking during the pregnancy."

But a study by the University College London, which involved more than 11,000 five-year-olds, showed drinking one or two units of alcohol a week during pregnancy did not raise the risk of developmental problems in the child. "Heavy drinking is really very, very bad, but at low levels, in the work we’ve done we haven’t found any negative effects in childhood.” Prof Yvonne Kelly, the lead researcher told BBC. "It’s a massively charged area, getting the tone of this right is quite difficult.

"The guidelines are there, women are sentient beings and can choose - it’s hugely politically charged all of this, I guess people will make their own judgements."

Meanwhile, Dr Patrick O’Brien, a spokesperson for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said "While the safest approach would be to choose not to drink at all, small amounts of alcohol, not more than one to two units once or twice a week, have not been shown to be harmful after 12 weeks of pregnancy.” "Pregnant women should always consult their midwives or doctors if they have any concerns about their alcohol intake." he added.

Source of this article:

Light drinking ’is preterm risk’