Drinking for Two
Another great British tradition has bit the dust. The country's top doc is shaking a stern finger at pregnant pub crawlers, saying women who are knocked up or trying to get there should stop drinking alcohol entirely.
Fiona Adshead admits that the new advice -- prior guidelines said women can drink up to two "units" twice a week -- was not in response to any new medical evidence.
So what gives? Adshead says women are often "confused" about what drinking in moderation really means. She is so right. I don't know about you, but I often forget how to count to two, especially when I'm drinking. And that "week" thing is confusing too. Is she talking 24/7? Or is it like a cell phone plan, so you get, like, unlimited drinks on nights and weekends?
The change, Adshead says, sends
"a strong signal" to the thousands of women who drank more than the recommended limit that they were putting their babies at risk.
Here's what I think: Since drunk men cause about twice as many fatal car accidents as women, let's send a strong signal to them by setting their recommended limit at zero as well.
Zero -- the new alcohol limit in pregnancy [TimesOnline]
On the flip side, many conceptions would be inconceivable without an assist from Mr. Alcohol.
I'll drink to that.