Newborn babies in Scotland are reportedly being tested for alcohol after research revealed that almost half of women drink regularly throughout their pregnancy.
A study, funded by Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity, revealed that 42 per cent of women continue to consume alcohol when pregnant with 15 per cent saying that they have more than one or two glasses of wine a week.
According to the Evening Times, stemming from the findings, doctors at the Princess Royal Maternity Hospital in Glasgow are now analysing samples from babies born there for molecules that stay inside the baby’s system when the mum drinks.
They are currently collecting 750 samples of meconium which will then be sent off to forensic toxicology experts for testing.
The publication reports that doctors are only looking for high levels of the by-product in the hope that they can show the level of alcohol consumption during pregnancy and introduce measures to combat it.
It is recommended that women who are pregnant avoid alcohol consumption. For further information, please speak to your doctor.
