Actress Kate Hudson, pregnant with her second child, was photographed sipping what appears to be a glass of red wine while dining out in Argentina. Hope everyone's ready for another round of the debate over drinking while pregnant: "No big deal" versus "OMG PUT DOWN THAT GLASS OF CHARDONNAY OR YOUR BABY WILL HAVE TWO HEADS." (And there's always the passive-aggressive debate position: "I'm sure it's fine, but I wouldn't want to take any risk with my baby.")
People tend to go a little crazy over the notion of pregnant women drinking, even in moderation. The idea of a pregnant woman being near alcohol is enough to set some people off. Witness the pregnant woman who was kicked out of a bar earlier this year -- while drinking water.
The experts at BabyCenter say abstinence is the only way to go: "No one knows exactly what harmful effects even the smallest amount of alcohol has on a developing baby." (The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists agrees.) But clearly, there are two sides to this debate. Because in European countries, women aren't advised or expected to give up drinking totally while pregnancy, and their birth defect rates are actually lower than those in the U.S. (In France, doctors recommend a glass of wine to pregnant women, but eating raw vegetables whilst pregnant is considered akin to smoking crack. Go figure.)
The effects of binge drinking on developing babies is well-documented and tragic. But recent research, involving a long-term study of 11,513 children, has found no evidence of harm from a couple drinks a week during pregnancy.
Vote: Is it OK for pregnant women to have a drink?
For her part, Kate Hudson's rep did not respond to a request for comment, so we can't know for sure what that delicious-looking beverage in the wine glass really is. Could be grape juice, or soda -- but of course, then she'd be under fire for drinking caffeine while pregnant. You just can't win!
What do you think: Did you give up alcohol during pregnancy? Do you think other women should? Sound off in the comments!