What amount of alcohol can a pregnant woman safely consume?

Running Head : Alcohol and Pregnancy

Alcohol and Pregnancy

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Abstract

Despite recent studies claiming that low-to-moderate alcohol consumption is safe for pregnant women , most health experts still believe that expectant mothers must abstain from alcohol . Drinking alcohol while pregnant exposes the fetus to fetal alcohol syndrome , a series of lifelong disabilities that include mental retardation and learning disabilities

Alcohol and Pregnancy

Pregnancy is usually considered as an occasion of joy and confident expectation . When a woman is pregnant , her friends

and family all take part in the preparations for the arrival of the newborn . Furthermore she takes significant precautions to help ensure that she will deliver a healthy baby . One of the most important safety measures that an expectant mother must take is the avoidance of alcohol . Numerous studies have already proven that alcohol consumption during pregnancy is major cause of birth defects

Alcohol : Safe for Pregnant Women

Health experts have always prohibited pregnant women from drinking alcoholic beverages . However , there are some recent studies claiming that consuming small amounts of alcohol is safe for expectant mothers In 2007 , the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE ) came up with a draft guideline stating that pregnant women should abstain from alcohol only during their first trimester . After the first three months of pregnancy , they can consume up to 1 .5 units of alcohol a day (Rose , 2007

In the same year , the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists said that there was no evidence...