Light drinking while pregnant may not hurt

LONDON, Oct. 31 (UPI) -- Boys born to light drinkers get higher-than-average vocabulary scores and girls are less likely to have emotional problems, a university study suggests.

The University College London study of some 12,500 3-year-olds also found boys born to mothers who had one or two drinks a week were 40 percent less likely to have conduct problems and 30 percent less likely to be hyperactive, even when the differences between social and economic circumstances were taken into account.

They also were better able to identify shapes, colors, letters and numbers, the study published in the International Journal of Epidemiology found.

Girls born to light drinkers were 30 percent less likely to have emotional and peer problems, compared with babies whose mothers abstained from alcohol, the study found.

"The reasons behind these findings might in part be because light drinkers tend to be more socially advantaged than abstainers, rather than being due to the physical benefits of low-level alcohol consumption," lead researcher Yvonne Kelly said.

"However, it may also be that light-drinking mothers tend to be more relaxed themselves and this contributes to better behavioral and cognitive outcomes in their children," she said.

While research shows heavy drinking can seriously damage babies, scientists have little evidence proving light drinking causes harm, Britain's Guardian reported.

But British Chief Medical Officer Liam Donaldson said his advice to pregnant women remains, "avoid drinking alcohol."