Is drinking in moderation safe for pregnant women?

Experts say there is no evidence to suggest drinking in moderation is safe and so they recommend complete abstinence

Pregnant women should drink no alcohol at all, experts have warned.

They say foetal alcohol syndrome , plus developmental and ¬behavioural problems, are linked to heavy boozing and current guidelines are confusing.

Retired paediatrician Mary Mather and Kate Wiles, an obstetric research fellow at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Trust, said the “only ethical advice that can be given is complete abstinence”, like in the US, France and Ireland.

Writing in the British Medical Journal, the pair said there was no evidence that drinking below a certain level was safe, despite contradictory guidance. The Department of Health says women should avoid booze but if they do drink they should stop at up to two units once or twice a week.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence advises avoiding alcohol in the first three months in particular. And the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists says drinking small amounts after three months does not appear harmful.

The RCOG’s Dr Patrick O’Brien admitted advice was conflicting but said: “The solution is not to say, ‘We’ve confused you, so just abstain.’ We need to resolve these inconsistencies.”