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Alcohol During Pregnancy? Sorry, I Won't Drink to That
I wasn't surprised to see this New York Times' story ("The Weighty Responsibility of Drinking for Two") show up on the site's list of the day's most e-mailed stories.
The article deserves to be discussed widely (and furiously debated) because it contains some rather shocking statements -- namely that it's okay to have a couple of glasses of wine each week after the first trimester of pregnancy -- at least according to one obstetrician: "If a patient tells me that she's drinking two or three glasses of wine a week, I am personally comfortable with that after the first trimester," said Dr. Austin Chen, an obstetrician in TriBeCa. Then he adds: "But technically I am sticking my neck out by saying so."
The author of the article, Julia Moskin, who notes that she decided to drink occasionally during her own pregnancy, points out that moms-to-be used to drink martinis during pregnancy -- and that moms still drink alcohol during pregnancy in some parts of the world. Frankly, it's an argument that makes about as much sense as pointing out that we didn't always have car seats for babies or bike helmets for kids.
What Moskin overlooks -- or omits -- is some of the more relevant research cited on the March of Dimes website -- research that demonstrate the effects that even very small amounts of alcohol
can have on the developing baby:
A 2001 study by researchers at Wayne State University in Detroit found that 6- and 7-year-old children of mothers who had as little as one drink a week during pregnancy were more likely than children of non-drinkers to have behavior problems, such as aggressive and delinquent behaviors. These researchers found that children whose mothers drank any alcohol during pregnancy were more than three times as likely as unexposed children to demonstrate delinquent behaviors.
Now don't get me wrong. I love a glass of wine as much as the next gal. But when it comes to pregnancy, I prefer to err on the side of caution. I figure that 9 1/2 months isn't all that long a period of time to go without a glass of Pinot Noir -- not even the time needed to produce a new vintage. And I'd rather not spend that 9 1/2 months worrying about the possible effects of that glass of wine on my baby-to-be.
This is also one of the aspects of pregnancy that is within your control when you're pregnant -- unlike air pollution, chemical toxins, and other factors that you can't help worrying about when you're expecting. Rather than cracking open the cork during pregnancy, simply leave that bottle of wine to age a few extra months, knowing the bottle you're saving will taste even more delicious when you toast baby's safe arrival after the birth.
Related Topics:
Technorati Tags: alcohol, pregnancy, safe pregnancy
The article deserves to be discussed widely (and furiously debated) because it contains some rather shocking statements -- namely that it's okay to have a couple of glasses of wine each week after the first trimester of pregnancy -- at least according to one obstetrician: "If a patient tells me that she's drinking two or three glasses of wine a week, I am personally comfortable with that after the first trimester," said Dr. Austin Chen, an obstetrician in TriBeCa. Then he adds: "But technically I am sticking my neck out by saying so."
The author of the article, Julia Moskin, who notes that she decided to drink occasionally during her own pregnancy, points out that moms-to-be used to drink martinis during pregnancy -- and that moms still drink alcohol during pregnancy in some parts of the world. Frankly, it's an argument that makes about as much sense as pointing out that we didn't always have car seats for babies or bike helmets for kids.
What Moskin overlooks -- or omits -- is some of the more relevant research cited on the March of Dimes website -- research that demonstrate the effects that even very small amounts of alcohol
can have on the developing baby:
A 2001 study by researchers at Wayne State University in Detroit found that 6- and 7-year-old children of mothers who had as little as one drink a week during pregnancy were more likely than children of non-drinkers to have behavior problems, such as aggressive and delinquent behaviors. These researchers found that children whose mothers drank any alcohol during pregnancy were more than three times as likely as unexposed children to demonstrate delinquent behaviors.
Now don't get me wrong. I love a glass of wine as much as the next gal. But when it comes to pregnancy, I prefer to err on the side of caution. I figure that 9 1/2 months isn't all that long a period of time to go without a glass of Pinot Noir -- not even the time needed to produce a new vintage. And I'd rather not spend that 9 1/2 months worrying about the possible effects of that glass of wine on my baby-to-be.
This is also one of the aspects of pregnancy that is within your control when you're pregnant -- unlike air pollution, chemical toxins, and other factors that you can't help worrying about when you're expecting. Rather than cracking open the cork during pregnancy, simply leave that bottle of wine to age a few extra months, knowing the bottle you're saving will taste even more delicious when you toast baby's safe arrival after the birth.
Related Topics:
Technorati Tags: alcohol, pregnancy, safe pregnancy
