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Researchers at the Virginia Commonwealth University reviewed 81 obstetrics textbooks and found that only 14 of them recommending not drinking during pregnancy. Remarkably, out of the 29 textbooks published since 1991, only seven recommended abstinence during pregnancy.
"I didn't expect so many recent textbooks to actually condone drinking," Dr. Mary Nettleman, professor of medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University and lead author of the study told reporters. "All the major organizations, such as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Academy of Pediatrics, public-health organizations -- all advocate zero drinking during pregnancy."
Some observers believe textbooks editors are hesitant to suggest a total ban on alcohol during pregnancy, because some women may become upset if they have been drinking regularly and then find out they are pregnant. The problem is, there is no known "safe" level of drinking during pregnancy.
Drinking During Pregnancy
Research has shown that a developing fetus has very little tolerance for alcohol and infants born to mothers who drink during pregnancy can have serious problems.Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is a pattern of mental and physical defects which develops in some unborn babies when the mother drinks "too much" alcohol during pregnancy. The problem is nobody is certain just how much "too much" is.
A baby born with FAS, or even with the lesser Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAE), can have serious handicaps and therefore could require a lifetime of special care. There is even some research that indicates that women who plan to get pregnant should stop drinking before they even conceive.
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