Can Pregnant Women Drink Alcohol in Moderation?

Feb. 2, 2008 — -- Drinking during pregnancy is a hot-button issue, creating intense controversy whenever it's questioned.

Despite public health warnings and the social stigma associated with it, an estimated 14-15 percent of pregnant women choose not to give up alcohol.

As long as it's done in moderation, some doctors are telling them it's probably safe.

"I think if a pregnant woman is at a party and wants a glass of wine, have the glass of wine. Enjoy the glass of wine. If it's New Year's Eve, have a glass of champagne, you won't do harm to the baby," said Dr. Jacques Moritz, Director of Gynecology, St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital on "Good Morning America Weekend" today.

The pregnancy paranoia list is long. Everything from bikini waxes to nail polish, hair color and cats have long been feared and nowadays coffee, sushi and botox are high up on the list, too.

But what about alcohol?

Despite the Surgeon General's warning that alcohol can cause birth defects, many women do drink after the first trimester.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the March of Dimes say zero alcohol. Dr. Mortiz says, though, "that's very, very strict." And the reason is "because there are no studies done."

"Everybody is scared of this thing called Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. I practiced 20 years. I haven't seen a case. That doesn't mean it doesn't exist," he said. Because of the lack of testing, the default consensus is "no one is definitely safe." Dr. Mortiz said that in his opinion, what is clearly unsafe is "people that drink every day, repetitively."

Dr. Michael Brodman, an obstetrician at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York, made a similar case. "We know that 14-15 percent of women drink during pregnancy … Drinking very little is probably OK, but drinking daily, and drinking a lot at one time, is not OK," he said.

Click here to read the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists's guidelines on alcohol and pregnancy.

Beth Schneider & Melanie Justice are both in their 30s, eight months pregnant and expecting their first child. Both women are healthy and active.