London - Drinking while pregnant causes more harm to the unborn child than smoking tobacco or cannabis, senior doctors have said.
Paediatricians say up to one percent of babies born in England have behavioural or developmental problems because of alcohol exposure. As many as 7 000 could be affected annually.
One consultant, Dr Neil Aiton of Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “If it is a choice between a drink, a smoke or a spliff, then ‘Don’t drink’ would be my recommendation.”
The doctors want guidelines to be changed to tell pregnant women not to drink alcohol at all. Current guidelines say they should avoid alcohol, but if they do choose to drink then they should limit it to one or two units a week. - Daily Mail