The study has followed confusion in the past month about whether or not it was safe during pregnancy to drink at all. The government does not recommend complete abstinence, where as the National Institute for Healthcare and Clinical Excellence (NICE) gives opposite advice.
The study at University College of London were looking to see if there was a link between light drinking during pregnancy and cognitive or behavioural problems in the children at the age of three.
Better Behaved
Not only did researchers find toddlers did not suffer cognitively and behaviourally, but also that a significant proportion of the toddlers of mothers who drank during pregnancy seemed to be doing better than those who abstained.
Boys were 40% less likely to have conduct problems and 30% less likely to be hyperactive. Girls were 30% less likely to have emotional and peer problems.
Therefore it is possible that advice not to abstain may be favourable. Light drinking however, means light ie. 1-2 units per week or per occasion. When mothers drank heavily during pregnancy their children were more likely to have problems than abstainers.
Whose Advice is Best?
There is always the risk of women drinking too much if told it is a good idea to drink alcohol during pregnancy, that could lead to more serious effects than abstaining. Pat ''O Brien, a consultant at UCL, said about the Department of Health's views to abstain from drinking that: "They took that stance because they felt that in population terms it was the best way of deterring women from drinking too much in pregnancy."
Light drinking may advantage children cognitively but it may cause other health problems. Dr. Kelly who carried out the study said: "There is inconsistency in policy around this issue and studies such as this one are vital in light of the wider debate around drinking and pregnancy."
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