Quarter of British women drink while pregnant

A quarter of British women drink alcohol and a fifth smoke during pregnancy - despite the health risks to their babies.

The survey, from UK baby charity Tommy's, showed that one in four pregnant women drank between two and five units of alcohol a week - double the recommended weekly limit.

And four in 10 women took folic acid too late to protect unborn babies against the risk of conditions such as spina bifida, other researchers claimed.

Smoking and drinking during pregnancy can cause birth defects.

The survey of 1000 women also revealed that women were putting their child at risk through ignorance about what they should and should not eat.