Danish study shows that low alcohol drinking during pregnancy has no effect

[juniper44]

Here

Thoughts?

I hate these threads, they always make me so angry. Someone always pipes up with 'it's only 9 months, why are you such a selfish alcoholic?' - well, as all the studies show, there is no need to abstain completely because there is not a risk of the occasional glass anyway. These people ignore the range of risks pregnant women weigh up and assess (being intelligent, sensible human beings capable of rational thought rather than mindless incubators who can't read the research).

Then someone pops up and says 'well, you wouldn't put wine in a baby's bottle!' - thus identifying themselves as being the most stupid person on the thread who cannot comprehend that unless you spend all of pregnancy drinking nothing but breastmilk or formula then NOTHING you consume during pregnancy is safe to putin a baby's bottle.

Also, if you breastfeed you will be making dietary restrictions for years, NOT just nine months so it seems only rational to actually read the research, understand the recommendations and make informed, rather than hysterical, decisions.

And also someone always says 'I wouldn't take the risk' - when what is being discussed is whether there actually IS a risk. And there is plenty of evidence to suggest it isn't. It's interesting how it's alcohol that gets all the moral vitriol whereas, as Meerka points out, procedures that have actually been proven to carry a (very small) risk such as amino do not attract the moral judgement at all.

I don't understand how people say the 1st trimester is most risky when surely this is the time most women drink the most alcohol because they may not even realise they're pregnant? Surely there must be many women out there who have had a couple of boozy nights out not realising they're a few weeks/months pregnant and gone one to have perfectly healthy babies? Or is the issue where alcohol is concerned less about fewer, binge type nights and more about Women who may drink a few units but more frequently? Would be interested to know :)

I had a glass of wine every Friday throughout both my pregnancies. I didn't 'take a risk' - this and lots of previous data shows there is no risk at that level.

Feminine, pretty much the most dangerous thing you can do in pregnancy is get in a car. I don't drive. I hope you abstained from travelling in a car while pregnant.

I also think that these studies are useful for taking away guilt (as well as leading into other research).

When your child has SN, you do think hard if you could of done anything differently, well I did, even though I didn't drink.

It can help with a process of elimination, for researchers.

I can remember everyone taking for granted that Harvey's disabilities were because if Jordan's partying (for example). Which angered parents whose children had the same conditions and has since been disproved.

I have a friend whose baby was born early with health problems, he passed away.

She is racked with guilt for going on holiday and drinking, before she knew she was pregnant, she still had periods for three months.

The Doctors reassure her, it had nothing to do with his condition, but it still is a ongoing thought. I have heard that others have suggested it.

I think it's down to personal choice and moderation. Hammered every Friday night? Not the best course of action when pregnant. The occasional glass of wine? Hardly the worst thing in the world.

Personally I didn't drink once I knew I was pregnant but I have anxiety issues and I've had two miscarriages, I don't drink when pregnant because I know that if I did miscarry I'd be looking for a cause. While I know a small glass of wine in week six would have done no harm whatsoever there'd still be that anxious little part of my brain that would seize on it and then I'd obsess over it. So for my own peace of mind, I don't drink.

tha'ts exactly the case hello (at least for me)

anecdotally, I've got Hyperemesis and like eveyrone else with that, had real trouble drinking enough for safety - dehydration is dangerous in preg. When I finally began to be able to eat and drink properly, I did have 1/2 beer in sheer celebration. Only it took me 4 hours to drink even half of that half because ,... after a few sips it started to taste wrong.

since then I've had, oh let me see .... 10ml of beer (two teaspoonfuls) about 4 times over about 2 hours, I kid you not. Got a special tiny little 40ml glass for it and all. Week 28 now. Because that's all that tastes nice. Those 2 teaspoons are nice, then it starts to taste wrong ... Just like tonic water, milk, chicken, veggies and everything else.

So ime yes you do stop when it tastes bad. I suppose there's much more of a problem if it tastes consistently good though and you want to drink more than the research seems to suggest is safe.

If people got half as het up about preg women gardening, drinking things with aspartamine or excess sugar in, painting (apparently some of the chemicals in paint can be bad for you?) and caffeine then I could have some semi-respect for the position you can't drink small amounts of alcohol, slowly over some hours. As it is, whatever I personally do or don't drink, i'll stand up against the hysterical unfounded screaming of people who seem to think that one drink will blight your child for life and who interfere with others' views. It's as ignorant as saying that women can't drive cars because it'll damage their womb, a la some Saudi religious people.

Exception: I personally can respect more the people who have had experience of working with FAS or who have actually looked into the data and drawn different conclusions. I can understand the position of people who've worked with FAS, even if I hold a different view.

dietcoke I don't understand how people say the 1st trimester is most risky when surely this is the time most women drink the most alcohol because they may not even realise they're pregnant?

Actually from what I've read it is the most dangerous time - if you overdo it. Whether you know you're preg or not, it's still the most dangerous time though it's never safe to overdo it. What exactly is 'overdoing it' is kind of hard to know though, since a lot of the research seems to come up with different findings and some of it is of highly variable quality.

I had the occasional glass of wine during pregnancy, mostly when having food.

I made sure I was up to date with the research and made a decision accordingly.

When not pregnant, I still only have 1-2 glasses of wine per week in any case, and often don't even bother having any. I am perfectly able to manage my own self.

Funny, I was just reading an anthropology book last night which said there was no biomedical evidence for FAS, and over time a diagnostic creep has occurred which means more and more childhood illnesses are being gathered under the artificial umbrella of this syndrome.

... here's one of the papers referred to in the book. Bit old now, though: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10075244

Policing of womens bodies??!! FFS!!

Try parenting a (adopted) child with Foetal Alcohol Syndrome. Its not about the affect on the pregnant woman, its about the possibility of life long damage to the child.

I don't think anyone here is talking about binge drinking though or drinking daily or drinking to excess. The drinking being referred to is very limited alcohol consumption, within reasonable limits and after careful consideration.

Exactly what harm does a small glass of wine, say, once a month do?

I think there is still enough doubt to be cautious about drinking during pg. To each person to make her own mind up of course but I don't think basing one's drinking on the results of one study very sensible. Take a larger view by looking at multiple studies or review papers. And, because we're talking about our little precious ones, take a moderate/cautionary line.

There is some good evidence that drinking even light drinking in the 1st trim can (in some people) have small but measurable effects - so I felt happy not drinking at all during my last pg in light of this.

And just to blow another myth out the water, BF doesn't mean months or years of dietary restrictions either. (excluding any allergies) What exactly are we not allowed to eat or drink then?

That study is 2 years old, and others have more recently shown the same thing. When will people stop being so self-righteous and just accept the evidence?

pregnant women wouldn't move if they listened to all the advice.

I have been pregnant in late 80s, early 90s late 90s and 2000.

I have been told to avoid salad, soft cheese, pate, eggs, veal, eggs, hot baths!! 1991!.

I out my babies in their stomachs with cot bumpers and them in their backs with none. I threw out perfect tit good mattresses due to non existent toxicity and worried my self sick.

now feel it's ok to relax, smile and enjoy in moderation all of life's pleasures pregnant or not.

Agree with PP that that picture of the pregnant women crossed out on the bottles is completely patronizing- although she does does look like she is having the most marvelous time! :)

Scarlett I phrased it badly - I was referring to the restrictions some people think you should adopt and pointing out that if you follow all the advice you could end up making changes for considerably longer than 'just nine months'. Therefore it's sensible to actually find out what the actual evidence is and make rational, informed and considered decisions based on it.

Oh, in that case we're totally in agreement then. AIBU to want to add custard and turn you into a trifle?

youaremyrain - I run pan-disability youth groups and have two sn children. I really don't have any need for your wild guess that I have no experience of FAS.

I've also been pregnant in three countries, and am aware exactly of the level of policing of women's bodies on different cultural levels.

A glass of wine every couple of weeks is really nothing to get dramatic about.