Previous guidelines from RCOG had stated that a couple of glasses a wine a week was acceptable, but according to new regulations complete abstinence is the only way to be sure the unborn child is unharmed.
According to experts in the States, there is no safe time in which to consume alcohol, but the RCOG is eager to highlight the risks involved in consuming alcohol in the first three months.
Chances of miscarriage are increased during the first three months and pregnant women are advised not to drink more than one or two units a week after this period.
Commenting on the new guidelines, Philippa Marsden says: "For women planning a family, it is advisable not to drink during this time. Either partner drinking heavily can make it more difficult to conceive."
Acknowledging the fact that there appears to be a number of different guidelines when it comes to alcohol consumption during pregnancy, Dr. Simon Newell of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health said: "There are lots of mixed messages when it comes to alcohol advice so today's guidance is a welcome and reliable source of information for women who are thinking about trying for a baby and for women who have already become pregnant."
Eager to reassure women who may have consumed alcohol without knowing they were pregnant, Ann Furedi of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service said: "We should reassure women that if that have had an episode of binge drinking before they found out they were pregnant, they should really not worry."
Commenting on the effect certain guidelines can have on women, Ann Furedi goes on to say: "It is very troubling to see women so concerned about the damage they have caused their baby they consider ending what would otherwise be a wanted pregnancy, when there's no need for such anxiety."
