Alcohol during pregnancy

New guidelines on alcohol during pregnancy say all expectant mothers should cut out drinking wine, beer and spirits for at least the first three months.

Recommendations from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) say alcohol should be avoided during the first trimester to reduce the risk of miscarriage.

If women choose to drink after the first three months then Nice says they should drink no more than one or two units once or twice a week.

The institute argues that there is uncertainty about how much alcohol is safe to drink in pregnancy, but says at this low level there is no evidence of any harm to the unborn baby.

Binge drinking – more than 7.5 alcohol units in a single sitting – is advised against as this can harm the fetus.

The guidelines follow advice issued by the Department of Health last year which urged women to cut out alcohol during pregnancy.

Nice deputy chief executibe Dr Gillian Leng said: "We recommend that doctors and midwives should advise women to avoid drinking alcohol when trying to get pregnant and during the first three months of pregnancy because there may be an increased risk of miscarriage.

"If they do choose to drink alcohol while pregnant, women should also be advised to drink no more than one to two UK units once or twice a week, and to avoid binge drinking during their pregnancy because this can harm their unborn baby."

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