International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics

Women who drink alcohol during pregnancy are more likely to give birth prematurely or have a miscarriage, a new study has revealed.

The research, published in the journal BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, looked at the amounts of alcohol women consumed during the early stages of their gestation and the effect this had on their unborn child.

Researchers in Dublin, Ireland, looked at more than 60,000 pregnant women for the study.

They found that women who drank heavily during their pregnancy were more at risk from pre-term births and the problems associated with this - such as low birthweight babies.

Study researcher Professor Deirdre K Murphy said: "This study emphasises the need for improved detection of alcohol misuse in pregnancy and for early intervention in order to minimise the risks to the developing foetus."

A recent study by researchers from the US University of Pittsburgh revealed that women who drink alcohol during the first three months of their pregnancy are likely to affect the behaviour of their children when they become teenagers.

Posted by Alexandra George