Light drinking in pregnancy will not be a mother's ruin

LIGHT drinking by mothers during pregnancy does not affect children's behaviour or cause mental impairment, and may even help them in some ways, according to a new study.

Experts at University College London examined data on 12,495 three-year-olds, looking at the mothers' drinking patterns during pregnancy and assessments of the behaviour and mental skills of their children.

They found that children born to mothers who drank lightly one or two units a week were not at higher risk than children of mothers who did not drink.

Lead author Dr Yvonne Kelly said: "The link between heavy drinking during pregnancy and consequent poor behavioural and cognitive outcomes in children is well established.

"However, our research has found that light drinking by pregnant mothers does not increase the risk of behavioural difficulties or cognitive deficits.

"Indeed, for some behavioural and cognitive outcomes, children born to light drinkers were less likely to have problems compared with children of abstinent mothers."