"Maybe this will teach us not to look to celebrities for advice on proper pre-natal care."

Maybe this should teach us to not take the press seriously. Rachel did not advocate drinking while being pregnant but only said that a glass of wine is OK after the first trimester. maybe the person who wrote this article should brush up on his or her reading comprehension skills before they make a stupid and unfounded comments.

"Rachel did not advocate drinking while being pregnant but only said that a glass of wine is OK after the first trimester."

I know my reading comprehension is clearly not as powerful as yours, Tom, but how is "saying that a glass of wine is OK after the first trimester" NOT "advocat(ing) drinking while being pregnant?" What's the difference?

You're right, Daniel. Drinking wine after the first trimester and drinking alcohol while pregnant sound pretty similar to me.

"I know my reading comprehension is clearly not as powerful as yours, Tom, but how is "saying that a glass of wine is OK after the first trimester" NOT "advocat(ing) drinking while being pregnant?" What's the difference?"

There is drinking in moderation and quite a few doctors have said it was safe as long as its after the first trimester ( and not heavy alcohol but red wine). If you read what Rachel said ( and you did not) you would have notice that she does mention about what doctors have said about the first trimester.  If you want to get on your high horse and play "Holier than thou" get your facts strait first.

If you read the entire linked article, not one medical expert supports the idea of drinking wine.

"If you read what Rachel said ( and you did not) .."

How do you know what I read? Are you psychic in addition to having the greatest reading comprehension skills of all time?

If I were going to essentially call people idiots because their reading comprehension was not up to speed, I'd probably make sure I was spelling words like "strait" correctly and not accusing them of making "a stupid and unfounded comments."

'If you read the entire linked article, not one medical expert supports the idea of drinking wine. "

If you read the story, you would have notice that there were some who back up what she had said like the midwives and the fact that people in europe do have that kind of drinking mentality

"How do you know what I read? Are you psychic in addition to having the greatest reading comprehension skills of all time?

Only someone who is looking to distort what she have said would come up with such an ignorant comment like you did.

"If I were going to essentially call people idiots because their reading comprehension was not up to speed, I'd probably make sure I was spelling words like "strait" correctly and not accusing them of making "a stupid and unfounded comments."

It was a stupid and unfounded comment and anybody with some common sense would know after reading that article that she was not giving advice to women about on proper pre-natal care but that having a glass of wine is OK during pregnancy in her opinion and she mentions what doctors have said about it.

You're the one making things up.

Your reading comprehension is looking worse and worse, Tom. I was criticizing your grammar by noting that you had said "a stupid and unfounded comments." A singular article attached to a plural object.

Midwives are *NOT* medical experts.

Read and comprehend the following and then get back to me, Tom. Are you the president of the Rachel Weisz fan club or something?

"In fact, no level of alcohol use during pregnancy has been proven safe. Therefore, the March of Dimes recommends that pregnant women do not drink any alcohol—including beer, wine, wine coolers and hard liquor— throughout their pregnancy and while nursing."

http://www.marchofdimes.com/professionals/681_1170.asp

"We must prevent all injury and illness that is preventable in society, and alcohol-related birth defects are completely preventable. We do not know what, if any, amount of alcohol is safe. But we do know that the risk of a baby being born with any of the fetal alcohol spectrum disorders increases with the amount of alcohol a pregnant woman drinks, as does the likely severity of the condition. And when a pregnant woman drinks alcohol, so does her baby. Therefore, it's in the child's best interest for a pregnant woman to simply not drink alcohol."
--U.S.. Surgeon General Dr. Richard Carmona
http://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/pressreleases/sg02222005.html

"Stop and think. If you're pregnant, don't drink."
--The Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Center, Dept. of Health and Human Services
http://www.fascenter.samhsa.gov/

"Alcohol use during pregnancy is associated with health problems that adversely affect the mother and fetus; no level of alcohol consumption during pregnancy has been determined safe. Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is recognized as the foremost preventable condition involving neurobehavioral and developmental abnormalities. Women who drink during pregnancy place themselves at risk for having a child with FAS or fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD)."
--Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Centers For Disease Control
http://www.cdc.gov/MMWR/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5350a4.htm

"Midwives are *NOT* medical experts. "

But they are there and they do know.

Once again, get off your high horse and stop making things up about what people have said.

"They are there and they do know."

Where are they? In the birthing room? What do they know? How to help a woman perform the act of giving birth? How does that make them fit to comment on fetal development? It sounds like you're giving up on your argument because you know you're wrong.

What did I make up, Tom? I defy you to point to anything I've made up. Weisz said she thought a glass of wine was OK. Are you saying she didn't say that, and that this is all some media conspiracy to get her?

The bottom line for me is this: Any woman unwilling to give up alcohol for 9 months in order to spare her child the risk of birth defects that could shorten or dramatically alter the child's life is either unbelievably selfish or an alcoholic who should be getting treatment for her disease before getting pregnant.

Considering that this is two MEN debating this issue, let me add that EVERY man should be willing to give up alcohol for the same period of time as a show of support for his wife and their baby.

"What did I make up, Tom? I defy you to point to anything I've made up. Weisz said she thought a glass of wine was OK. Are you saying she didn't say that, and that this is all some media conspiracy to get her? "

What you wrote:

"Maybe this will teach us not to look to celebrities for advice on proper pre-natal care."

Did Rachel Weisz give pre-natal care? No, she did not. You made that up. She was only talking about a glass of wine during pregnancy and she mention what doctors have said to her about it.

Stop making things up and report the true.

Hi Tom. This is Ashley. We at The Scene welcome your feedback and encourage you to share your opinion with us, but please don't confuse me with the reader you're currently debating with.

What I meant to say in my post is that the public should be smart enough to distinguish between a comment made by a celebrity and medical advice given to them by their doctors.

Uhhhh ... wow, your reading comprehension is approaching illiterate now, Tom. I'm DANIEL. I don't write for this blog, or work for this company. That's Ashley you're thinking of. I can see how you could get the two mixed up, you know, if you can't read.

But let's take your misguided criticism at face value:
"Did Rachel Weisz give pre-natal care? No, she did not. You made that up."

The original line from the blog posting you're complaining about:
"Maybe this will teach us not to look to celebrities for advice on proper pre-natal care."

Since reading comprehension is at the top of your list of complaints, perhaps we should examine your writing comprehension. For her to "give pre-natal care," as you say, she would have to be a doctor actually treating a pregnant woman. Since she's obviously not, it seems safe to assume that you meant to write "Did Rachel Weisz give ADVICE ABOUT pre-natal care? No, she did not."

Now let's revisit the original article in The Daily Mail:

"The 35-year-old, who recently gave birth to her first child, said she thought it was 'fine' for expectant mothers to have a glass of wine after the first three months.
British-born Miss Weisz added: 'I mean in Europe they drink it'."

Now let's turn to our friends at the Oxford American Dictionary:
"Advice - noun.
Guidance or recommendations concerning prudent future action, TYPICALLY GIVEN BY SOMEONE REGARDED AS KNOWLEDGEABLE OR AUTHORITATIVE." (emphasis mine)

So, she was, in fact, giving advice to expectant mothers. Advice that is clearly not supported by most of the reputable medical establishment.

You're grasping at straws, Tom, and you're not even doing that very well. It's time to go troll somewhere else.

"The 35-year-old, who recently gave birth to her first child, said she thought it was 'fine' for expectant mothers to have a glass of wine after the first three months.
British-born Miss Weisz added: 'I mean in Europe they drink it'."

Once again, you're dancing around the truth. Did she offer prenatal care or did she not. She only answered a question, she did not give advice. If you want to make stuff up, then that's your problem

"Uhhhh ... wow, your reading comprehension is approaching illiterate now, Tom. I'm DANIEL."

Considering the fact on how you presented yourself dummy, you are illiterate.


"You're grasping at straws, Tom, and you're not even doing that very well."

This coming from a person who refuses to answer the question presented to him.


"So, she was, in fact, giving advice to expectant mothers. Advice that is clearly not supported by most of the reputable medical establishment. "

if you got that, you're an idiot.


One more time, Once again, get off your high horse and stop making things up about what people have said.


"What I meant to say in my post is that the public should be smart enough to distinguish between a comment made by a celebrity and medical advice given to them by their doctors. "

Fair enough, pleasure  to meet you Ashley.

"... said she thought it was 'fine' for expectant mothers to have a glass of wine after the first three months. "

How is this not advice, Tom?

"Considering the fact on how you presented yourself dummy, you are illiterate."

Is this the internet equivalent of "I know you are, but what am I?"

"This coming from a person who refuses to answer the question presented to him."

Which question did I refuse to answer, Tom? The only question you've asked in this entire thread is "Did Rachel Weisz give pre-natal care?" and I answered that quite thoroughly.

"Once again, get off your high horse and stop making things up about what people have said."

You STILL haven't been able to point to anything I "made up," Tom.

I'm giving up on this thread now because it is quite clear that winning a flame war is more important to you than recognizing the facts in question here, which don't support you at all. I hope you're feeling very smug and superior down there in your parents' basement.

"How is this not advice, Tom?"

There is a difference between giving an opinion and giving advice. If you can't tell that, you have problems.


"Which question did I refuse to answer"

One more time,  Did she offer prenatal care or did she not.?

"The only question you've asked in this entire thread is "Did Rachel Weisz give pre-natal care?" and I answered that quite thoroughly. "

No you did not.

"which don't support you at all."

It does support what i have being saying, you like to make stuff up and can't back it up.

According to my doctor, an occasional glass of wine after the first trimester is ok. Occasional. Not every day, maybe not even every week, and a glass of wine ( or a single unit of alcoholic beverage), not the whole bottle. Think of it: All of my great-aunts drank and smoked throughout their whole pregnancies in the forties, fifties and sixties. Many women did at the time. Their children are fine. Yes, there are many risks in drinking and smoking during pregnancies that we know about today, and there were a lot more cases of miscarriages, stillbirths and FAS then, then there are now.  Medical technology is better now, too. And an occasional glass of wine is not the same as injecting yourself with poison. Rachel Weisz's comments can be interpreted in different ways and people's own notion of whether is right or wrong to drink during pregnancy plays a part, as well as what does "drinking" means. Some people think of "drinking" as a bottle everyday, others as glass with meals, others still, as an occasional glass.  In the end, I don't know who in their right mind would look up to celebrities for proper advice on proper pre-natal care, in the first place, unless the said celebrity has taken time off his/her schedule to go to medical school, and get a obstetrics degree, and therefore should be addressed as "doctor".

Good points, Cecilia.

"What I meant to say in my post is that the public should be smart enough to distinguish between a comment made by a celebrity and medical advice given to them by their doctors. "

Maybe you should write that instead Ashley because i found your article very misleading. Rachel was not giving out advice but giving an opinion and she was not "pretending" to know anything.

I find your article very irresponsible and slanderous.

Hi Mary. Thanks for your comment.

In response, I'd like to remind you that The Scene is a blog, not a newspaper. While I am not the author of the original news article, I do have an opinion on the subject and a desire to share it with my readers. Whether Miss Weisz was giving advice or simply an opinion, I believe it is her responsibility as a public figure to choose her words carefully, especially when it involves prenatal health.

And while you may be more intelligent than the average person, there are other people out there who might read her words and believe that it is ok to drink a glass of wine, or any kind of alcohol for that matter, despite the surgeon general and the Department of Health and Human Services repeatedly warning us that there is only one way to be completely safe, and that is to not drink AT ALL during pregnancy.

Furthermore, slander is defined as a false spoken statement which is damaging to a person's reputation. The statement I made, "Maybe this will teach us not to look to celebrities for advice on proper pre-natal care," was clearly directed toward the public, not toward Miss Weisz.

We have to remember that is a BLOG!!! Here we can share our thoughts and opinions.  It is great that we can discuss the posts and learn from each other's opinions.

No reason to be calling someone names, especially when they don't apply.

(Whether Miss Weisz was giving advice or simply an opinion, I believe it is her responsibility as a public figure to choose her words carefully, especially when it involves prenatal health.)

Its not Rachel's responsibility at all. its the responsibility of the person to have a little common sense with it comes down to drinking during pregnancy. Rachel was talking about herself, not anyone else and she said so. You trying to make her responsible is pretty selfish and irresponsible on your part because it seems to me that you would rather try to make her into the bad guy by lying about what she really said just to try to make your so -called point other than talk responsibly about what is really going on.

It makes you and your blog look real bad.

Pregnant women around the world give opinions without intending to give advice and no one bats an eye. Why? Because most pregnant women are not in the public eye.

I think we can all agree that it wasn't Rachel's intention to give advice but we do have to consider that she's a public figure and her comments are going to be scrutinized much more so than your average Jane.  

Look at the mistakes that past celebrities have made. It's public's nature to take note, talk about, blog about, criticize, comment. Remember Britney who drove with her son on her lap?

I don't believe that Ashley's post or comments were misleading, irresponsible, or slanderous. Ashely really didn't say anything to discredit Rachel Weisz at all.

I think what it does is show us that celebrities aren't perfect, we can't take what they say seriously and that when it comes to matters like drinking while pregnant, you should ultimately ask your OB for advice.

OK, I'm back because it would appear reading comprehension is a problem for more people than just my good friend Tom.

"Rachel was talking about herself, not anyone else and she said so."

From the original:

"The 35-year-old, who recently gave birth to her first child, said she thought it was 'fine' for expectant mothers to have a glass of wine after the first three months.

British-born Miss Weisz added: 'I mean in Europe they drink it'."

Now, we have a problem here because we don't have the full text of the exchange that the Daily Mail reporter paraphrased into the 'fine' sentence (though the essential truth of the exchange was confirmed by Weisz' publicist, see below). But the second quote makes it very clear that Rachel is NOT just talking about herself. She is pointing to an entire continent as an example of what she considers acceptable behavior.

Jodi: "... you would rather try to make her into the bad guy by lying about what she really said ..."

Which part of Ashley's post is a lie? Answer: none. If the Daily Mail printed something that was untrue, then that's THEIR lie, but again, Weisz has confirmed the remarks as true.

From http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2006/11/16/rachel_weisz_lashes_out_at_pregnancy_alc :
(And no, I don't know anything about "Starpulse" so I can't speak to their credibility. But let's assume this is legit for the purposes of this discussion.)

"Weisz's representative confirms that her client made the comments saying, 'She was speaking only about herself and what her doctor said was okay for her. She wasn't speaking as an expert. She believes everyone should consult their own physician to see what is right for them.'"

OK, Rachel, if that's true I have some questions for you:
If you believe everyone should consult their own physician, why did you make the statement in the first place? Why point to the continent of Europe as an example if the decision should be made between doctor and mother? Why point to Europe if you were speaking only about yourself? If drinking a glass of wine is OK, why do women need to consult their doctors about it at all? If the doctor is a medical expert who knows best (and by extension, you're not), why did you answer the question at all?

I don't think Rachel Weisz is a horrible person. I think, with microphones in her face and camera flashes popping, she made a statement that she thought generally harmless that later seemed irresponsible when held up to the glare of media scrutiny. If she didn't regret it, she wouldn't have had her publicist "clarify" her remarks.

I DO think the posters here who have attacked this blog clearly suffer from some kind of combination of celebrity worship and general media hatred that causes them to throw out words and terms like "slander", "lie" and "make things up" without knowing what they're talking about.

Rachel was talking about herself and what her doctor told her. To try to make her the villain because she gave her opinion about something a lot of expected mothers do with their doctors consent is wrong.

Its not Rachel's responsibility at all if someone is stupid enough to drink with out advice from her doctor first.

What Ashley did was wrong and it was misleading.

"If you believe everyone should consult their own physician, why did you make the statement in the first place?"

Because she was answering a question about herself and what her doctor told her.

"If she didn't regret it, she wouldn't have had her publicist "clarify" her remarks."

If she had regretted what she had said, she would have retracted what she said, not repeat them. She knows that people would be stupid enough to try to twist her words around.

Like this blog and you.

All I did was post an article and say we shouldn't look to celebs for medical advice! I don't understand all these insults - "slanderous," "irresponsible," "misleading," "wrong."

Why don't you all attack the reporter who wrote the actual article?

What did Ashley do wrong? Where was the part where she misled the readers?

Ashley linked to an article in a newspaper. She summarized the relevant content of the article. She noted that we shouldn't look to celebrities for advice on pre-natal care, AN OPINION ECHOED BY WEISZ' PUBLICIST HERSELF.

Read it again:
"(Weisz) believes everyone should consult their own physician to see what is right for them.'"

Other people's decisions are not Weisz' responsibility. The words she chooses to speak to the media, knowing that those words will be disseminated to the general public, are. The bottom line is, if you think the decision to drink or not should be made by a mother in consultation with her doctor, saying that it's "fine" to drink a glass of wine is, in fact, inserting your own opinion into what you agree is a highly personal decision. Why not just answer the question by saying "I think that's a decision women should make in consultation with their doctors."?

Seriously, you people need to stop looking for reasons to hate the media. Nobody has to be the bad guy here. Weisz said something regrettable (and incomplete, judging from her publicist's follow-up), but not evil or malicious. The media reported it correctly. Ashley noted it in an appropriate forum. The only people acting in bad faith here are the commenters accusing this blog of all kinds of inappropriate behavior and intent that simply don't exist.