There is no doubt that drinking large amounts of alcohol is bad for the baby's health as well as the mother's health. But in small quantities the truth is that no one is sure of anything since there is no major reliable research comparing the outcome of pregnancies in which there was mild alcohol consumption with pregnancies in which alcohol was completely abandoned.
Most research done so far shows that light alcohol consumption (1 ounce or less) distributed during the week would be safe. That is, a glass of wine at family celebrations or a beer on the way out with friends would not cause problems for the baby.
Because such research is not considered to be of the highest quality, however, most doctors and virtually every medical society in the world would rather over-care and recommend that the pregnant woman stop drinking alcohol throughout her pregnancy.
