Pregnant women urged to abstain from drinking

Women should drink no alcohol during the first three months of pregnancy, despite uncertainty over whether the odd drink could harm their baby, a government watchdog said yesterday.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) said there was limited evidence that drinking in the early stages of pregnancy may be linked to a higher risk of miscarriage.

Its new guidance says that pregnant women who choose to drink should limit their intake to one or two units, once or twice a week.