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 In the United States, doctors have long warned that drinking during pregnancy may have serious medical risks. Last year, a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advised that women should avoid drinking completely if there is any chance they might be pregnant. Guidelines in UK also recommend that if you are pregnant or think you are, the safest approach is to abstain.
Yet, according to CDC about 10% of pregnant women in the US age 18 to 44, report that they've had at least one alcoholic beverage in the past 30 days while pregnant.
The new paper calls for more research on the effects of light drinking on pregnancy in order to better understand potential risks and to find answers to the questions many expectant mothers might have.
The new paper included a systematic review and analysis of previous studies on low alcohol consumption and pregnancy that were published between 1950 and July 2016. The researchers took a close look at studies that involved drinking up to 32 gms of alcohol in a week- two 175-mL glasses of wine (150 mL is a standard glass in India). Out of thousands of studies, only 24 met the researchers' criteria for review. The researchers found that there was a dearth of evidence demonstrating a clear "safe limit" or "detrimental impact" of light alcohol consumption on a pregnancy, they wrote.
There is a detailed analysis of the subject in CNN for those who are serious about it
For expectant mothers who might have had a cocktail or two before knowing they were pregnant, there was little evidence to suggest that she should be overcome with worry, according to the paper provided she was not binge drinking.
While many health organizations strongly advise against drinking while pregnant -- the American Academy of Pediatrics says no amount should be considered safe -- some controversial studies previously have suggested that light drinking might not be harmful for the baby's future health.Earlier a study that published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health in 2010 found that children of mothers who drink one or two glasses of alcoholic beverages per week or per occasion during pregnancy were not at an increased risk of behavioural or cognitive problems by age 5. In 2013, another study published in the journal BMJ Open found no evidence to indicate that a mother's moderate alcohol consumption during pregnancy had an adverse effect on her child's ability to balance, a sign of neurological development, at age 10.
Of course, until more research is conducted, many doctors now advise against drinking wine or any alcohol during pregnancy .
Wine and Italian expectant mothers
delWine conducted an on-the-spot survey talking to various women at Vinitaly in 2008, starting with Priscilla Incisa of Tenuta San Guido producing the top end Italian wine, Sassicaia. She said at the tasting of Sassicaia 2005 that she was expecting. I asked if she was drinking wine during her pregnancy. 'Of course, I take an occasional glass of red wine 2-3 times a week!' she confirmed. Priscilla, who already has a 2-year old child, laughed softly and told me that she drank wine in moderation during her first pregnancy too and 'I can assure you my son is very healthy,' she added with a twinkle in her eyes.
I asked a few other pregnant women at the show at random, including one Francesca Casitti who, owns a small hotel and restaurant in Bologna with her husband. She endorsed Priscilla's views and said, 'I like to have a glass or half of red wine when I am out with my husband a couple of times during the week.'
Chiara Lungarotti, part owner of the Umbrian winery Lungarotti was not pregnant but she was during the previous year. Confirming that she did take an occasional glass of wine as a part of meal, she said, 'drinking in moderation is the key to responsible drinking. It is stupid to drink too much wine anytime anyway and is equally childish not to drink while pregnant. All my friends believe the same. They drink half a glass or so occasionally. There may be a week when they do not take any wine at all'.
But all the women I talked to confirmed that none of them or their friends drank whisky or other hard liquor during pregnancy.
So it would appear logical that drinking a glass or half with meals during pregnancy, 3-4 times a week, would not create a medical problem; the doctor's advice would eventually prevail even though the current Study seems to ok a couple of glasses a week.
delWine would like to add a rider that the drink must be limited to half a glass of red wine and preferably not on consecutive 4 days.
For some of the other Articles on the subject and Studies reported, please visit:
French Producers upset over new Warning Regulation for Pregnant Mothers
Oh Rats! Alcohol may harm Generations of Pregnant Women
Canadian Ad against Wine for Pregnant Women Criticized
Study may Keep away Oz Pregnant Women from Wine
Study: Moderate Drinking may not Harm Pregnancy
Controversial Study on Wine and Pregnant Women
Study Condones Wine during Pregnancy
Wine & Health: Wine and Pregnant Woman
Subhash Arora |