Latest research issued on drinking in pregnancy

Published on: 12/07/2015

 

A study published in the online journal ‘BMJ Open’ has investigated the rate of reported alcohol consumption among pregnant women in the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand and found that across all those nations the rates remain high.   The figure, which ranged from 20% to 80% among those questioned indicated that the prevalence of drinking while pregnant was generally evident across all social strata, but several factors were associated with a heightened or lowered risk of alcohol consumption.  A higher level of education, having other children and being overweight/obese were all associated with a lower risk. But the strongest and most consistent predictor of a heightened risk of drinking alcohol during pregnancy across all three studies was smoking. Smokers were 17-50% more likely to drink while pregnant.

Although the number of women drinking in pregnancy was high most of the women consumed alcohol at very low levels and the number of pregnant women who drank heavily in the three studies was small.  However the authors still described their findings as a “significant public health concern”, as the consequences of even small amounts of alcohol on the foetus’ development is not fully understood.  Their recommendations were that new policy and interventions are required to reduce alcohol prevalence both prior to and during pregnancy and that healthcare professionals should continue to advise all pregnant women to abstain from alcohol during pregnancy in line with best practice clinical care guidelines.

 

 

RCM director for midwifery Louise Silverton said: “There is no evidence that any level of consumption is safe for the growing baby. Drinking around conception and during the first three months may also increase the chance of having a miscarriage…it is important that midwives, GPs and MSWs provide women with more support and up-to-date information, as well as advice on the potential consequences of alcohol consumption and smoking during pregnancy.”

 

 

View the research here

RCM response here

 

For more information on alcohol consumpton and smoking in pregnancy please see our ‘Be Healthy’ page here