Light drinking in pregnancy not linked with behaviour problems
7 November 2008
Even though we took into account many different factors, including income, parental discipline and the family environment, we can't rule out other socio-economic factors playing a role 
Dr Yvonne Kelly, lead author, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London
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Women who drink small amounts of alcohol during pregnancy don't increase their unborn child's risk of developing behavioural problems, according to a study published in the International Journal of Epidemiology.
Heavy drinking in pregnancy has already been linked to a range of health problems in children, but less is known about the effects of light drinking on unborn children.
Dr Yvonne Kelly, lead author of the study, told the Bupa health information team: "This is the first time the association between light drinking in pregnancy and behavioural problems has been looked at in a rigorous way, taking socio-economic factors into consideration."
More than 12,400 families from the Millennium Cohort Study with babies born between 2000 and 2002 took part in the research. When the children were nine months old, the researchers asked mothers about their socio-economic circumstances and how much they smoked and drank while pregnant. When the children were three, mothers were asked about their child's behaviour, family income and the home environment.
The three-year-old children also completed a range of cognitive tests to assess their mental development - for example, their ability to identify colours, letters, numbers and shapes.
The results indicated that light drinking during pregnancy, classified as one to two units of alcohol per week, doesn't increase the risk of behavioural or cognitive problems in children of three. However, heavy drinking, classified as seven or more units a week or more than six units per occasion, did increase this risk.
The researchers also found some differences between genders. Interestingly, boys whose mothers drank lightly during pregnancy were less likely to have behavioural problems and hyperactivity than those whose mothers didn't drink at all. And girls were less likely to have emotional and peer problems if their mothers had consumed alcohol lightly during pregnancy compared with mothers who didn't drink at all.
However, Dr Kelly suggested that these findings may be due to social circumstances rather than any direct effects from alcohol. "Even though we took into account many different factors, including income, parental discipline and the family environment, we can't rule out other socio-economic factors playing a role," she said.
"For example, it could be that women who are light drinkers - having the occasional glass of wine - are more likely to be relaxed during their pregnancy. Just by being relaxed, women are more likely to have a happier pregnancy and fewer problems after giving birth.
"Whether the alcohol itself has a beneficial biological effect on the development of a baby is an entirely different question," Dr Kelly added.
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