Pregnancy Signs & Symptoms, Week by Week Pregnancy Guide

It is a general rule that you avoid drinking during pregnancy because it can lead to a number of problems, including birth defects for the baby when born. But should that rule be hard and fast?

Well we are now being told that there could be an exception to that rule in one study conducted: it was found that moderate drinking in early pregnancy could lead to having better behaved children!

Having a drink a day in early pregnancy was seen as being linked to better behaved children when compared with women who did not drink at all in that time.

The children of women who drank moderately were seen as having fewer emotional and behavioral problems through childhood and through adolescence, it was seen. They were less likely to internalize behavior (such as depression that could be caused by directing negativity towards one’s own self) or externalize it (indulge in aggressive behavior).

This does not however mean that you go and grab the closest drink that you may find. The study revealed that moderate drinking may be harmless, not that it is advisable.

This is only to indicate that low level drinking by a woman early on in pregnancy is not something she should feel guilty about. Also there is strong caution against large amounts of alcohol or any kind of binge drinking.

Even after the study the guideline for drinking during pregnancy remains the same: “avoid alcohol once your pregnancy is confirmed.”