Study: Light Drinking During Pregnancy Has No Effect on Children
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Jupiterimages/Thinkstock(LONDON) — A study shows that drinking alcohol lightly during pregnancy may not have a negative effect on children.
The study, which was published in the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, evaluated over 10,000 children whose mothers were either non-drinkers or light drinkers – fewer than one to two drinks per week – during pregnancy. Researchers tracked the children’s development from nine months to 7 years of age.
According to the study, light drinking during pregnancy did not have a significant impact on the children’s cognitive or behavioral growth. The research did not differentiate between types of alcohol, or determine whether drinking during a particular portion of the pregnancy were more or less dangerous.
Researchers did point out that because women may handle alcohol differently, avoiding alcohol entirely is more safe.
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