Drinking a small glass of wine every day is safe for pregnant women, a British health watchdog has suggested.

    The National Institute of Clinical Excellence's (NICE) new draft guidance contradicts the British government's official advice which is for pregnant women and those trying toconceive to avoid alcohol altogether.

    The institute says pregnant women can safely consume up to 1.5 units of alcohol - the equivalent of a 125ml glass of wine or a 25ml measure of spirits - a day after the first three months of pregnancy.

    Its recommendation says there was "no consistent evidence" suggesting that small amount of alcohol damages unborn children.

    A NICE spokesman said the guidance was developed by experts who carried out a review of all available evidence on the risks facing pregnant women who drink alcohol.

    "The experts have concluded that there is no consistent evidence of adverse effects from low to moderate alcohol during pregnancy (less than one drink or 1.5 units per day) but the evidence is probably not strong enough to rule out any risk," the spokesman told The Times.

    The draft guidelines are due to be published in full next March.

    英国某健康机构建议，孕妇每天喝一小杯葡萄酒不会危害胎儿健康。

    英国国家临床优化研究所提出的新健康指导草案与英国政府的官方意见相矛盾。英国卫生部建议，孕妇和准备怀孕的人都不宜饮酒。

    该机构称，孕妇在怀孕前三个月每天摄入1.5单位的酒精（相当于125毫升的葡萄酒或25毫升的烈酒）不会对胎儿造成危害。

    该机构的建议称，目前“并没有一致的证据”表明孕妇少量饮酒会影响胎儿健康。

    英国国家临床优化研究所的一位发言人称，这一结论是专家们对所有有关孕妇饮酒风险的实例进行调研后得出的。

    这位发言人在接受《泰晤士报》的采访时说：“专家们经过调研得出结论，并无可靠证据证明孕妇少量或适量饮酒会危害胎儿健康。”

    该健康指南草案将于明年三月公布。

    Vocabulary:

    conceive:to become pregnant（怀孕）