The government doctors advice has changed now it is NO alcohol in pregnancy ane when trying to conceive at all

[zippitippi]

.....

early alcohol can damage the egg and cause miscarriage and facial deformities, later it can cause a spectrum of brain damage and low birth weight

so the new advice is abstinence

this brings this country into line with eg the US

interestingly obstetricians are sticking with 1 to 2 units a week

times online

stigaloid. don't you think that the fact that it is not based on evidence is worrying?

And with pate and peanut butter both being brown and spreadable, they could both add to the confusion..

In fact, it might be advisable to cut out the bread, just to give a clear message

I seriously think that compared with other kinds of interference / "guidance" in people's lives, pregnant women get off fairly lightly

do you not think?

you know it really does get to me.

instead of 'x amount of vitamin A, equivalent to 3 whole mackerel a week, could cause defects' it's no liver or pate.

instead of 'be aware that listeria is a major problem and that these food groups if NOT FRESH can carry it' it's no unpasturised anything or seafood

it really really pisses me off.

like i say, why on earth isn't this preconception advice being extended to men 'No alcohol if you are trying for a baby.'. somehow i'm not entirely convinced there would be much uptake.

Why should Feminist Theory is brought into the health of a developing child in utero?

No franny i don't. i think that having a bump entitles everyone and anyone to put their 2p in. and i also think that women are infantalised generally and especially during pregnancy and labour.

I find it surprising that compared to other situations, there is only guidance and very little legislation

Yup I understand what you're getting at Sophable, but there are relatively few LAWS about this

aren't there? You can ultimately do what you want when you are pregnant can't you? or am I mistaken?

Errrr. Because of the mother that is carrying that child.

I'm assuming you are all pro-lifers too?

Fetus = public ownership of womans body (even more so than usual).

franny what kind of legislation do you suggest we are getting away with not having in this area?

And to be brutal, why isn't a similar interest taken into the well being of children once they are born?

I would have thought that living with people who abuse alcohol/drugs will have a profound and lasting negative effect on their children, even if they manage to avoid FAS in the first place.

But puting in schemes to help these people take time, money and effor.

Just telling women 'Don't' gets the Govenmnet all the headlines and costs them bugger all.

what they are trying to do is to shame women into not drinking during pregnancy at all. they are trying to make it socially unacceptable. BASED ON NO EVIDENCE.

isn't the fact that seeing a pregnancy woman roaring drunk is socially unacceptable enough?

evidently not.

Is it in the US that they are prosecuting women who drink while pregnant?

quite martian. the interest seems to only extent to the point at which the child leaves the mothers' body...after which, who gives a toss what the child ingests (ask hunker about this one ;) )

for me there is a clear implication to that fact.

'Also, there have been several cases of pregnant women getting arrested while having a drink. (This is usually someone poor and/or a minority sadly.) '

Interesting, especially as a Survey in The Times today suggest that the very poorest communities drink the least alcohol (and admittedly consume the least vit c too). Food for thought- no pun intended!

Can't wait for the ooh your child ahs developmental delay, you shouldn't have drunk in pregancy backlash . Because A0 I didnt, bar one glass at a birthday and one on holiday (that covers all 3 pgs) but peole always maange to throw the blame back to the aprents, one way or the other.

and i'm not ranting based on my having drunk during pregnancy either....i didn't feel like it!!! so i didn't.

ok I have obviously missed half the thread

where is the bit about pregnant women getting arrested for drinking?

ah found it

yes I thought this was happening in the US

I hardly drank while PG either. A handful of units over the 9 months.

I'm just annoyed at the assumption that adult women cannot make reasonable decisions for themselves, based on some fairly simple info.

I didn't object to restricting my diet and drinking habits, or quitting the evil weed. But this assumption that the government knows soooo much better than I do as a mere woman, or even better than the experts in the field, is absurd. What if they decided that a pregnant woman is a danger behind the wheel of a car - no scientific evidence, but hey let's be on the safe side.

I think that the sooner babies are conceived and grown in artifical wombs the better. Women being so congenitally incapable of using common sense.... I am so glad that my days as a womb on legs are well over.

It isn't a Government conspiracy again PG Women and their choices. It's only advice you can choose to follow or not.
There is a chance of problems resulting from Alcohol consumption during PG. As there is no evidence to say exactly how much will be a problem so the safest thing to to avoid altogether whilst PG. It's a personal choice; I don't see how this view automatically makes one a "pro-lifer" ??!! Talk about over politicising the issue.

Hallelujah!

Is there a government guideline for how many hours a day a non-pregnant woman shoud spend typing on internet chat sites?