Can one have the occasional drink while pregnant?

Great question! In the U.S., the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists advises pregnant women to avoid alcohol entirely. But a UK study, published online in October 2008 in the International Journal of Epidemiology reports that limited alcohol consumption is not so bad during pregnancy.

The data from this study showed as expected, that the worst outcomes were seen in children whose moms drank heavily while pregnant. But children of light-drinking moms had fewer behavioral or cognitive problems than those of abstinent moms.

Light drinking was defined as not more than two drinks (a 4-fluid-ounce glass of wine or 10 fluid ounces of weak beer) on a single occasion and not more than two occasions per week. The data also showed that no difference was seen between women who drank once or twice during their pregnancies and those who regularly enjoyed a weekend glass of wine.

The lead author of the UK study, Yvonne Kelly, an epidemiologist at University College London, says that the links between heavy drinking and fetal alcohol syndrome are undisputed but cautioned that little is still known about light drinking long term effects on babies.

You can read more about this study on this link: http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Features/0,1197,4697,00.html