Women who drink heavily while pregnant may give birth to babies with smaller skulls and brains, Medical News Today reported April 30.

The study used ultrasound to compare babies delivered by heavy drinkers to those delivered by women who never drank and those who quit drinking when they learned that they were pregnant. The study found that the brains of all the children were within the normal range, but the authors said the findings offer clues to the effect of alcohol on fetal development.

The study also hinted that the findings could help convince women to stop drinking. "The provision of feedback on fetal development as revealed in ultrasonography may be a strategy to encourage heavy drinkers to seek treatment during pregnancy," concludes the study.

The research was published in the May 2006 issue of the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.