Fetal Drinking

The answer is D. It is safest to avoid alcohol altogether during pregnancy because researchers are not yet sure whether any level of alcohol consumption is safe.

For the University of Michigan study, more than 1,100 pregnant women were asked to fill out questionnaires in eight obstetrics clinics in Michigan. Women who reported any alcohol use during pregnancy were divided into low and high-risk groups.

They found that 86% of the women consumed less than one drink per week and reported no binge drinking of five or more drinks at a time. About 3% of the survey group fell in the high-risk group consisting of women who had one drink or more per week, or who had engaged in binge drinking during pregnancy.

The study did not find any differences in the pregnant women's drinking behavior in terms of race, marital status or education. But it did find that women who smoked or were in the early stages of pregnancy were more likely to drink.

Only 54% of the women reported having been counseled by their obstetrician about the risks of drinking during pregnancy. Pregnant women should be made better aware of the physical and neuro-developmental risks to their babies due to drinking during pregnancy.

Resources:

Learn more about the dangers of drinking alcohol while pregnant.

Read about Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.