Occasional binge drinking by mother ‘does baby little harm’ - The Times 14th November 2007

Binge drinking during pregnancy has minimal effects on the unborn baby unless women make a habit of it, an analysis suggests. The idea that even a couple of glasses of wine when pregnant can damage the unborn baby has gained widespread credence. But a team from the University of Oxford that looked at studies from 1975 to 2005 say in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health that “there is no consistent evidence of adverse effects” when overall alcohol intake is low and binge drinking is infrequent. Current guidelines say that pregnant women can drink one or two units once or twice a week. Consistently heavy drinking throughout pregnancy has been associated with birth defects.

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Binge drink baby damage 'unclear' - BBC Health News 14th November 2007