Drinking during pregnancy:subtle effects must not be ignored

There are worries that a study showing the increased cognitive ability of children born to women who drank moderately during pregnancy was not reported accurately in the British media.

The Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Study Group, a subgroup of the Research Society on Alcoholism, are concerned that reports of the study failed to highlight the recognised effect higher socioeconomic class has on both moderate drinking and increased cognitive ability. They suggest that class alone is responsible for improvement in post-natal neurodevelopment.

They have retaliated with a statement entitled ‘Light drinking will not make your baby smarter’.

American science aggregator, Science Daily reports the group are concerned some media outlets reported the beneficial effects of light drinking during pregnancy, ignoring previous literature on the subtle but adverse effects of light drinking during pregnancy.

Further Reading:

Sobering news for pregnant women

The odd drink in pregnancy won’t harm baby

Light drinking in pregnancy a risk for behavioural problems and cognitive deficits at 3 years of age?

Pop the Champagne Corks – 9 Months Early

Good news for women wishing to sample the Chardonnay without being shot down by the PC-pregnancy brigade, drinking in pregnancy is now good for you!

After a report a few years ago claimed it was impossible to measure the minimum amount of alcohol that could cause Foetal Alcohol Syndrome, many countries recommended tee-total pregnancies.

The health scare saw the introduction of warnings on alcoholic drinks that told women to avoid alcohol if pregnant or even just trying to conceive.

Women who drank 2 units a week (one glass of wine) during pregnancy were found in the latest research to be calmer during pregnancy and had children that did better in cognitive tests.

There is some concern that the results are slightly skewed by the strong correlation between light drinking in pregnancy and social class, but Fred Brooksteing, Professor of Statistics at Washington University said, “We have no evidence that it (light drinking) does anything and it probably makes women feel better”

Yvonne Kelly who ran the lab at UCl that worked on the paper said the most beneficial effect of light drinking durring pregnancy was the calming effect it had on mothers-to-be, making pregnancies less stressful.