Can a Pregnant Woman Drink? Let Her Decide

An occasional glass of wine is safe, so back off
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 24, 2010 4:46 PM CDT
Can a Pregnant Woman Drink? Let Her Decide
A glass of wine or two per week while pregnant? Give women the facts and let them decide for themselves.   (Shutterstock)

Gasp, here's another story about pregnant women enjoying an occasional glass of wine. Why is this still such a taboo, wonders Margaret Hartmann at Jezebel. Study after study has shown that moderate drinking—say a glass or two a week—is safe during pregnancy, yet American women are still told to be teetotallers and shot dirty looks when they're not. "It seems the American hysteria over drinking is based less on facts and more on the idea that women can't be trusted to make decisions about their health or drink responsibly," she writes.

"Perhaps the fear is that telling American women that they can have a glass of wine while pregnant will send the message to those who are alcoholics that it's alright to have three, or four, or an entire bottle. But does that justifying lying to the majority of women, and causing a pregnant woman to have a panic attack after realizing she ate a dish cooked in wine, or used an alcohol-based mouthwash?" Nope. Give women the facts and let them decide for themselves.
(More pregnancy stories.)

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