Avoid all alcohol ‘if trying to conceive’

Women trying to conceive and those in the first three months of pregnancy have been advised not to drink any alcohol by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG).

The college’s previous guidance stated that mothers-to-be should not drink more than two units once or twice per week, but its revised advice states that pregnant women should completely avoid alcohol for the first three months.

There is no proven safe amount that women can drink during pregnancy and the only way to be certain that the baby is not harmed by alcohol is not to drink at all during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.