(Express) - MOTHERS-to-be who drink an average of a bottle of wine a month during pregnancy have children who are better adjusted both emotionally and behaviourally than those who abstain, a new study shows.

Investigations by psychologist Janni Niclasen from the University of Copenhagen found women who drank 90 units - equivalent to just over one glass of wine a week - while pregnant had better emotional and behaved children.

However, Ms Niclasen warned it was "important to emphasize that this is not an invitation to pregnant women to drink alcohol".

She said: "At first sight this makes no sense, since alcohol during pregnancy is not seen as beneficial to child behavior.

"But when you look at the lifestyle of the mothers, you find an explanation. 

"Mothers who drank 90 units or more of alcohol turn out to be the most well educated and healthiest lifestyle over all."

The NHS recommends pregnant women should not drink more than one to two units of alcohol once or twice a week.

A 175ml glass of wine is the equivalent to two to three units of alcohol.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence advises women who are pregnant to avoid alcohol in the first three months in particular, because of the increased risk of miscarriage.  

Drinking heavily during pregnancy can cause babies to develop a group of problems known as foetal alcohol syndrome, which can lead to restricted growth, facial abnormalities and learning and behavioral disorders.