Danish research on drinking alcohol in pregnancy

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BBC Article

Interesting, and hopefully of some comfort to those who have drunk a lot bit before they knew they were pregnant, and those who enjoy the occasional large medium glass of wine.

From the studies I've read about alcohol and FAS, even the very large studies are based on self-reports about drinking. From my experience with kids' with FAS, often the mother claimed either they didn't know they were preggers in the first trimester (when risk of FAS is greatest) or they under-report and say "I just had a few". Which you can tell from the state they are in, probably means a few bottles or six packs a day, rather than a few during the pregnancy.
Women who underreport and have kids with FAS are the ones who make Dr.s tell you no amount of booze is safe. Since they can't verify that Ms. X did in fact only have 3 drinks her first trimester, they just limit all of it.

The only study that alarmed me was one from Italy that seemed to show an increase in ADHD in children whose mothers had a glass of wine a night. I didn't see if there was any control on the wine, and the mothers all self reported, but the researchers were trying to find a culture where drinking during pregnancy was not frowned upon so that the self reporting would not be under-reporting.

And I don't actually have a problem with the state having hissy fits about pregnancy and booze, because many of the children who do have FAS or FASD will need state assistance most of their lives, and many right from the start, because of the complications.

But I would love a glass of wine right now!

I don't believe the government is out there trying to control what women do. I think they want to ensure FAS is eliminated. There are endless health campaigns, nearly all of which verge towards the most strict advice. What else can they say?

Drink what you feel is the right amount? Drink moderately/within reason? 1-2 units once or twice a week? The last one is probably the soundest, but I don't find this easy to judge - there are plenty of websites showing what a unit looks like - half pint of a strong ale can be 1.6 units, a standard glass of red wine 2.3 units...

On the other hand, for me and many others here, the pile of precautionary advice is oppressive and at times annoying. Does this really matter when the advice isn't to protect us? It's to protect venerable, less well-educated women or women with alcohol issues from damaging their unborn children.

Hiya, I know this is an old thread. But just wanted to say didnt people years ago(maybe centuries really) drink beer/cider as water was dirty? ( I know the alcohol percentage was different in those days). Im not saying drinking alcohol is good or bad in pregnancy, I was just wondering... Does anyone know if there was a lot of problems recorded in those days or were we just "unaware" and nothing recorded..Sorry, Im just being curious xx

I'm not sure what your point is or why you resurrected an old thread to make it. That might be true that people drank alcohol. But people also once thought the world was flat and that left handed people were witches. And infant mortality rates, while little recorded, would have been extremely high.

We are lucky to live in the age of knowledge. Might as well use that knowledge to make the best possible decisions we can.

Just curiosity and linked to an item Im doing as part of my coursework. While googling this thread came up on the search list and I was just interested. Didnt mean any offence as I said :-(.

Sorry.

No, you didn't offend! Sorry if I was sharp.