Rare Childhood Leukemia Tied to Drinking During Pregnancy

Children born to mothers who drank while pregnant were 56 percent more likely to develop a rare form of leukemia called AML, according to French researchers.

Reuters reported May 6 that researcher Paule Latino-Martel and colleagues drew their conclusions from a review of data from 21 other studies. Experts noted that only about 700 cases of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) occur annually, so the risk remains small. However, the findings may be one more reason for women to abstain from alcohol during pregnancy.

The study was published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.