A study published in the British Medical Journal reveals that light drinking during pregnancy does not affect a young child's intellectual or behavioral development.

Mothers who were surveyed in the study were classified into four groups by how much alcohol they consumed during their pregnancy - abstain, light, moderate and heavy. Researchers found that 60 percent of mothers abstained from drinking alcohol, while nearly 26 percent identified themselves as light drinkers.

The study found that children who were born to light drinkers were 30 percent less likely to have behavioral problems than children whose mothers did not drink while pregnant. Furthermore, they achieved higher cognitive scores than children whose mothers chose not to consume alcohol during the pregnancy.

Children whose mothers consumed alcohol heavily throughout the pregnancy can develop hyperactivity, as well as experience behavioral and emotional issues, the study found.

Experts found that girls achieved higher cognitive scores than their male counterpart over the entire study. Furthermore, research suggests boys are more likely to experience developmental problems, and girls have a higher risk of emotional issues.