Drinking alcohol during pregnancy weakens mum-child bond

London, Apr 22 (ANI): Pregnant women who drink alcohol weaken the bond with their child, claim researchers.

What's more, expectant mothers who drink take longer to recover after the birth, the study found.

The research, carried out by PhD student Eilidh Duncan at Aberdeen's Robert Gordon University, looked at 130 first-time mothers with varying levels of alcohol intake, reports The Telegraph.fter births, Duncan reviewed issues like delivery type, length of hospital stay, pregnancy and labour complications, maternal attachment and post-natal drinking habits.

In the study, mums were asked a series of questions after giving birth to determine their level of attachment to their child.

From analysis, it was found that the women who drank during pregnancy had significantly lower levels of bonding than non-drinkers.

And even mothers who drank no more than once a month, the study found, had to spend an extra day recovering in hospital.

Dr Katrina Forbes-McKay, lecturer at the university's School of Applied Social Studies, said: "This research confirms that drinking even small amounts during pregnancy has negative outcomes for women.

"Alcohol use during pregnancy not only lengthens the mother's stay in hospital, but can be directly associated with lower levels of mother-child bonding." (ANI)