RESPONDING to research to be published tomorrow, in BJOG on pre-pregnancy alcohol consumption among pregnant women, Janet Fyle, professional policy advisor at the Royal College of Midwives, said: “This is very useful research that supports our advice to women about alcohol and pregnancy.

“There is a large amount of evidence suggesting that the cumulative effects of alcohol consumption during pregnancy can harm the developing fetus. 

“Our advice continues to be that for women who are trying to conceive or those that are pregnant it is best to avoid alcohol.

“The results around socio-economic status are also interesting and this will re-affirm to midwives and other health professionals what they already know and do.

“That is, to treat every woman they care for as an individual and not make assumptions about a woman’s knowledge because they are in a particular socio-economic group.”