No Alcohol Consumption In Pregnancy

No alcohol should be consumed by pregnant women, says the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) of the UK. NICE updated its guidelines on the health of pregnant women from The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG)’s advice of only few glasses of wine a week to abstinence from drinking during pregnancy.

Taking liquor starting the time of conception to around three months of pregnancy is riskier, highlighted the RGOG. Miscarriage can be caused up to three months of pregnancy as drinking alcohol can affect the unborn baby, and in some cases, the foetus may pass through the placenta, says RGOG. Women are advised to take not more than one to two units of alcohol for once or twice a week, in case they want a drink.

Women planning for baby should avoiding drinking and at the same time any one of the partners drinking heavily during that period will affect conception, says Philippa Marsden of the RCOG. Abstinence from drinking is advisable during early pregnancy even if someone decides to drink after first trimester they should not take more than the recommended quantity; this applies to the breastfeeding mothers as well, added Marsden.

Cutting down or refraining from drinking at any point during pregnancy could make a huge difference, but the damage that has been rendered by far is irreversible, says Marsden. The guidance of avoiding alcohol that has come from a reliable source is a great help for pregnant women and those trying to conceive, said Dr Simon Newell of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. Since it is not possible to judge the safe quantity of alcohol, it is better not to take a chance with the baby’s health, advised Newell.

As most pregnancies are unplanned, woman are advised not to abort the baby, thinking that their drinking habit would have affected the foetus. It is just fine to quit drinking once they come to know about their pregnancy, says Ann Furedi, chief executive of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service.

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