A government survey recently revealed that one in 13 pregnant women still drink alcohol, and some even go on binges.
According to the AP, the data was compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention using national telephone surveys that included 14,000 pregnant women. They were asked whether they drank alcohol the previous month and how much.
The study found that one in five of those who admitted to drinking said they downed four or more drinks per sitting. Of those who said they drank, nearly one in five said they went on at least one binge – downing four or more drinks.
But the good news about these findings (taken from 2006 through 2010) is that binge drinking among pregnant women has actually dipped slightly when compared to a similar study done in the early 2000s.
Drinking (especially binge drinking) can damage fetal brain development. The startling results come after it was reported earlier this year that drinking regularly during pregnancy is known to increase the odds of having children with foetal alcohol syndrome. The risk to a woman's baby is highest if they consume alcohol in the seventh to 12th week.
According to the AP, the data was compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention using national telephone surveys that included 14,000 pregnant women. They were asked whether they drank alcohol the previous month and how much.
The study found that one in five of those who admitted to drinking said they downed four or more drinks per sitting. Of those who said they drank, nearly one in five said they went on at least one binge – downing four or more drinks.
But the good news about these findings (taken from 2006 through 2010) is that binge drinking among pregnant women has actually dipped slightly when compared to a similar study done in the early 2000s.
Drinking (especially binge drinking) can damage fetal brain development. The startling results come after it was reported earlier this year that drinking regularly during pregnancy is known to increase the odds of having children with foetal alcohol syndrome. The risk to a woman's baby is highest if they consume alcohol in the seventh to 12th week.
