A latest study shows that even light drinking during pregnancy can increase the chances of preterm births.
The UK-based study shows that alcohol consumption of any amount affects babies' births and their weight.
Researchers examined 1,264 female participants for the study. Participants were asked about their drinking habits before and after conceiving. Researchers found that 53 percent of the women consumed more than the recommended weekly amount of alcohol within the first trimester. Around 40 percent of the women reported drinking more than 10 units per week before pregnancy.
The study results showed that nearly 13 percent of the babies born were underweight, 4.4 percent of them were smaller than normal and 4.3 percent were preemies.
The researchers found that women who drank more than two units within the first three months of pregnancy had two times increased chances of preterm delivery and have smaller-than-normal sized infant. They also found that women, who consumed alcohol in general, even if the amount was below the limit of two units, still had higher chances of preterm births. Similar results were found among the women who consumed liquor before pregnancy.
"This is a very sensitive issue, we don't want women who are pregnant now to panic, the individual risk is actually low," Camilla Nykjaer, one of the researchers at the University of Leeds, told the BBC News. "They shouldn't drink, they should stop drinking if they have been drinking during the pregnancy."
"While the safest approach would be to choose not to drink at all, small amounts of alcohol, not more than one to two units once or twice a week, have not been shown to be harmful after 12 weeks of pregnancy," Dr. Patrick O'Brien, a spokesperson for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said. "Pregnant women should always consult their midwives or doctors if they have any concerns about their alcohol intake."
