International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics

Pregnant women have been encouraged to get professional advice if they have any concerns about how much alcohol they can drink.

Research published in the BJOG journal has concluded that moderate alcohol consumption during pregnancy will not impede the neurodevelopment of a child.

However, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has insisted this does not mean expectant mothers should drink more than the recommended amount.

It has therefore suggested pregnant women who are unsure of how much alcohol they can safely consume seek the view of their midwife or doctor.

Patrick O'Brien, an obstetrics specialist at the group, commented: "More research is needed to look at long-term effects of alcohol consumption on children."

The research was carried out in Denmark by representatives of bodies including Aarhus University, the University of Copenhagen and the Institute of Public Health.

Despite their conclusions, scientists working on the study have concurred with Mr O'Brien's view that more tests need to be carried out.

"Additional large scale studies should be undertaken to further investigate the possible effects," they stated.

Posted by Alexandra George