Pregnancy not curbing bad habits

Smoking and drinking can damage unborn babies

Many pregnant women are disregarding health advice by continuing to drink alcohol and smoke, a survey has found.

Tommy's, the baby charity, found a quarter of pregnant women drink up to five units of alcohol a week - double the recommended safe limit.

One in five of the 1,000 women polled smoking during pregnancy.

And separate survey also found 40% take folic acid too late to protect their unborn child from conditions such as spina bifida.

The Tommy's survey also uncovered widespread ignorance about the best diet to follow while pregnant.

For instance, one in four mothers-to-be said they would "eat for two" even though they need only an extra 300 calories a day.

Two thirds said that they would eat Parma ham and swordfish, even though Parma ham is raw meat so carries a risk of toxoplasmosis, which can result in miscarriage or stillbirth and Swordfish contains high levels of mercury which has the potential to cause neurological damage to the baby.

Tommy's also found that one in six mothers said they always felt unhappy or stressed during pregnancy, with one in three saying they felt unprepared for the emotional changes they experienced.

The survey also found that many mothers are misguided about miscarriage risks.

One in eight women mistakenly thought it was not safe to have sex in the first three months of pregnancy.

The charity's Charlotte Davies said: "It's so important that pregnant women are given the right support and reassurance from their families and friends."

"Being pregnant can signify major emotional changes in mums-to-be, from mood swings to feeling incredibly anxious.

"High levels of stress can be caused primarily by lack of sleep and worrying about the health of the baby which could adversely affect both mother and baby."

Folic acid

The folic acid research was carried out by pressure group Folic Acid Action (FAA), which urges all sexually active women to take the supplement - whether or not they are planning to conceive.

Folic acid has been shown to reduce the risk of babies developing neural tube defects, such as spina bifida.

Current government advice is for women to take folic acid if they are hoping to get pregnant.

The research showed only 28% of women took folic acid while planning to conceive, and less than a third took it in the first six weeks of pregnancy.

Smoking and drinking during pregnancy can cause mental retardation and birth defects in babies.