by Mary Beth Sammons 0

Recent photos of a pregnant Kate Hudson sipping a glass of red wine are sparking debates over whether or not it’s okay for expectant moms to drink alcohol.

The images have Circle of Moms members comparing notes on whether drinking really should be on the list of pregnancy "don'ts," which includes everything from coffee and sushi to bikini waxes and hair color.

Some members say pregnant women should not drink at all. “I actually quit drinking altogether when we started trying to get pregnant,” says mom of two Krista M. “I have always been under the impression that no alcohol is safe during pregnancy.”

Others maintain that an occasional glass of wine is just fine. “I'm not saying drinking all the time is okay but having a few drinks while pregnant is not going to harm your baby,” says Becky T., who adds that in spite of the fact that she drank lightly before realizing she was pregnant with her first child, the baby "came out perfect.”

Researchers recommend abstaining from alcohol during pregnancy, according to Science Daily. They've found that drinking alcohol during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of miscarriage, premature birth, and low birth weight. And in their brochure Think Before You Drink, The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists warns pregnant women about the potential dangers of drinking. They caution: "When you drink, the alcohol quickly travels through your bloodstream, crosses the placenta, and reaches your baby. Your baby breaks down alcohol more slowly than you do, so she may end up with higher levels of blood alcohol than you have."

But British researchers claim that children whose mothers have one or two drinks per week during pregnancy are not at any greater risk for developing health, behavioral or cognitive problems than children whose mothers abstained completely. The assertion, published in the U.K. Millennium Cohort Study, is based on data from 11,513 children, ages nine months to five years.

Still, Circle of Moms community member Tracy C. abstains. She says that even though her doctor sanctions an occasional cocktail, “I’d rather be safer than sorry."

Did you ever drink alcohol while pregnant?

Image Source: MissMarek via Flickr/Creative Commons

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