Brits Reverse, Endorse Booze-Free Pregnancy

The Brits are coming around to the notion that pregnant women shouldn't booze, reports the BBC, as an independent UK health institute revised recommendations to bring it in line with the government policy of teetotalling. The report comes less than a week after a Guardian columnist slammed calls for US-style labeling warning pregnant women against consuming any alcohol at all.

The institute concedes that there is no new evidence for its change. Another body cannot find evidence of harm when women consume less than a couple of drinks a week, but can’t rule it out, either. The government and the independent recommendations now say women shouldn’t drink at all during pregnancy, but that the first three months are the most critical. (More pregnancy stories.)