(Agencies)
Updated: 2007-10-15 16:28

Drinking a small glass of wine every day is safe for pregnant women, a British health watchdog has suggested.

The National Institute of Clinical Excellence's (NICE) controversial new draft guidance contradicts the British government's official advice which is for pregnant women and those trying to conceive to avoid alcohol altogether.

The institute says pregnant women can safely consume up to 1.5 units of alcohol - the equivalent of a 125ml glass of wine or a 25ml measure of spirits - a day after the first three months of pregnancy.

Its recommendation says there was "no consistent evidence" suggesting that small amount of alcohol damages unborn children.

A NICE spokesman said the guidance was developed by experts who carried out a review of all available evidence on the risks facing pregnant women who drink alcohol.

"The experts have concluded that there is no consistent evidence of adverse effects from low to moderate alcohol during pregnancy (less than one drink or 1.5 units per day) but the evidence is probably not strong enough to rule out any risk," the spokesman told The Times.

The draft guidelines are due to be published in full next March.