Okay, they didn't exactly say "drink up." But the NHS Lothian, Scotland's national health organization, has urged the government to abandon advice that tells women they should abstain entirely from alcohol while pregnant or trying to conceive.
As reported on scotsman.com, the NHS Lothian told the Scottish government that suggesting pregnant women cannot have even one drink "stigmatises any of them choosing to have a single glass of wine" and also "causes unnecessary anxiety." The NHS Lothian acknowledges that excessive drinking clearly should be avoided but notes that there is no evidence that having one or two units -- aka servings -- of wine a couple of times a week will harm the child.
Look, no one wants to endanger their unborn kid's life by taking a few swigs of sauvignon blanc. But I appreciate hearing this from our neighbors in Scotland because I've always been a little irked by the "abstension is the only way to go" approach. I think there are two reasons health agencies usually give that advice. First, there is no concrete evidence that small amounts of alcohol can harm a fetus. But there is also no definitive evidence that small amounts of alcohol can't, under any circumstances, harm a fetus. If doctors cannot rule out something 100-percent, they tend to err on the side of caution. Which is understandable, albeit a little extreme.
Secondly, pushing the tee totaling approach is the easiest, most concise advice that can be given to potential moms. If health experts say, "Well, a glass of wine is okay but otherwise, abstain" that sounds wishy-washy and potentially confusing. And -- let's be honest -- it leaves doctors and other organizations open to potential lawsuits if their guidelines aren't absolutely clear.
Unfortunately, that advice also insults women's intelligence. Most of us realize that guzzling a six-pack in one evening is not a hot idea when you're pregnant. But we've also seen enough anecdotal evidence to know that a glass or half-glass of something bubbly with our Thanksgiving meal isn't going to be a deciding factor in our baby's well-being. I understand why health agencies feel they can't say that officially. But I also think it's a shame, too.
I wish that, collectively, we were all a little smarter than that. Apparently the higher-up health experts in Scotland trust their female population enough to tell the truth. That's right: The nation that gave us Groundskeeper Willie may be ahead of the curve when it comes to giving honest maternity advice.
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