RCM: More clarity is needed on alcohol
Wednesday, 26 Mar 2008 11:56
More clarity is needed on alcohol and pregnancy, the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has said.
Its comments follow new guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) which say no alcohol should be consumed in the first three months of pregnancy.
If women choose to drink after that then they should have no more than one or two units once or twice a week.
Nice says binge drinking - more than 7.5 alcohol units in a single setting - should not be undertaken as it could harm the unborn baby.
Mervi Jokinen of the RCM said the college welcomed the guidelines, which it described as "evidence based".
"Midwives are there to discuss the evidence with women and encourage informed choice about drinking alcohol when pregnant," she added.
"However, we are concerned that many women will be unsure about what a unit of alcohol is, and therefore may drink more than the guidelines recommend."
Ms Jokinen went on: "There is indeed no evidence to suggest that low levels of alcohol are harmful to the baby after the first three months of pregnancy.
"However, our advice is to remove all doubt and avoid alcohol while pregnant, and for women to stop drinking alcohol if they are trying to start a family. The advice on avoiding binge drinking is also a public health message for everybody, not just pregnant women."