Health Buzz: Is Light Drinking During Pregnancy Safe?

I too question the validity of research linking moderate drinking to either "no harm" or "benefit". While a shot or two maybe calming for some people, this idea that one drink a day, such as red wine at meal time, is suspect. Red wine itself may contain beneficial ingredients unrelated to the alcohol content. Also, the type of person who consciously drinks one drink a day may be different from someone who doesn't. Such an individual may have a healthier diet and (I forget where I read this) is likely to be engaging in this activity during family meals, a sociable act which alone could be healthful.

Moderate drinking is harmful to women, I believe. It raises breast cancer risk because it magnifies the effects of the body's own estrogen. Alcohol also depletes folic acid levels in the brain, which is one of the mechanisms responsible for the impaired memory and judgment during intoxication. It is definitely premature to give women the green light to drink lightly during a pregnancy.

There are actually fewer people who NEVER drink at all when you omit those who have stopped due to problems with alchol in the past. I'd like to see studies done on them..

Jonathan R. of DC 5:56PM October 06, 2010