80% of Irish women drank while pregnant

A new study has found pregnant women in Ireland are drinking significantly more during pregnancy than women in other countries.

 

While the research didn't look at the effect of alcohol on the developing baby’s brain, it did find that alcohol consumption hadn't adversely affected the baby’s weight or caused premature births.

 

The research carried out in University College Cork found eight in 10 women in Ireland had consumed alcohol during the first 15 weeks of pregnancy, with 31% admitting to two or more episodes of binge drinking.

 

Overall 65-80% of women in the UK and Ireland consumed some alcohol during pregnancy, compared with 38% in Australia and 53% in New Zealand.

 

Health guidelines warn women to avoid alcohol completely during pregnancy because of the potential to cause foetal alcohol syndrome.

 

What do you think? Did you drink during pregnancy?