Pregnant women, a toast! To the UK's National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence and their reasonable guidelines that a small glass of wine everyday won't harm the fetus.

Of course, if you're getting out your scorecards to move booze from the “forbidden” category to the “in small amounts,” write it in pencil. Leaders at the British Department of Health are still pushing for total alcohol abstinence from conception to birth. The two agencies will duke it out and try to come up with definitive guidelines. So, who knows what they’ll say next week and the week after that.

Public health officials, doctors and midwives for the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence said there is no evidence of harm to a fetus from a small glass of wine or a pint of lager daily. These NICE (awwwww) officials said, though, that drinking possibly increases the risk of miscarriage (oh, is THAT all?).

This guideline contradicts the British Department of Health recommendation that women abstain completely from alcohol from conception to birth, saying there is evidence that even small amounts of alcohol could lead to varying degrees of fetal alcohol syndrome and other disorders.

Personally, I didn’t drink during either of my pregnancies. During the first one, I was just trying to be perfect. During the second one, well after I had abandoned perfection, I could barely stay awake as it was. Even a sip would have sent me to bed for yet another nap.

What do you think? Are they more realistic in Great Britain or just in denial? Did you drink much while pregnant? Did you want to drink but abstain out of fear? Evidence? Judgment from others?