Irish researchers have reported three cases of alcohol syndrome which is a condition where alcohol in the womb causes series of problems such as facial abnormalities and stunted growth to learning difficulties and hyperactivity.

In the research, 60,000 new mothers were questioned about how much they drank during the period of conception and the first weeks of their pregnancy.

Around 81% admitted to have taken alcohol, though their heavy drinking had to do with unplanned pregnancies, while those who had 20 units of alcohol stood as much risk as teetotalers of giving birth prematurely.

Also, their babies were more prone to be very underweight and die during the time they are born. One of the cases highlighted by the researchers was seen in a baby born by a light drinker.

Trinity College Dublin researchers have expressed that more research is required mainly for addressing the effects of low alcohol intake in pregnancy before it can be considered safe.

Pregnant women have been advised by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence to completely avoid or abstain from drinking alcohol in the first three months of pregnancy.