Drug and alcohol review
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Drug and alcohol review · Mar 2012
ReviewGuidelines for pregnancy: what's an acceptable risk, and how is the evidence (finally) shaping up?
The lack of consensus about whether low to moderate levels of prenatal alcohol exposure are a risk factor for fetal development has generated considerable debate about what advice policies and guidelines should provide. ⋯ The policy advice that 'the safest choice for pregnant women is to abstain from alcohol during pregnancy' should be maintained. However, the abstinence message needs to be presented in a balanced and rational manner to prevent unintended negative consequences.
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Drug and alcohol review · Mar 2012
ReviewDifferent guidelines for different countries? On the scientific basis of low-risk drinking guidelines and their implications.
The scientific evidence for low-risk drinking guidelines was examined in a narrative review focusing on three points: definition of exposure, the best way to select outcomes and risk relations and how to determine thresholds. With respect to exposure, at least two dimensions should be incorporated: average volume of alcohol consumption and patterns of irregular heavy drinking occasions. ⋯ Finally, our plea is for establishing a general threshold for acceptable risk on a societal level rather than ad hoc specific committees setting norms for specific risks. Acceptable thresholds will be different if the risk is to oneself or to others.