There is no safe level of alcohol consumption for pregnant women, the U.K. Department of Health said in issuing new guidelines about perinatal alcohol use, the Independent reported May 25.

The new guidelines replace earlier advice that pregnant women could consume a couple of alcoholic drinks per week. Health experts said that the new rules were not based on emerging research but rather reflected a desire to reinforce official warnings about perinatal alcohol use.

"Our advice is simply: avoid alcohol if pregnant or trying to conceive," said health department deputy chief medical officer Fiona Adshead.

Warnings against alcohol use during pregnancy also should be added to alcoholic beverage containers, U.K. health officials said.

The U.K., U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand now all advise pregnant women to abstain from alcohol use. However, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists is sticking with its advice that women can consume moderate amounts of alcohol during pregnancy. "It remains our advice that one to two units once or twice a week is not harmful to baby or mother," a spokesperson said.