Can sugar substitutes such a splenda cause mental retardation/ birth defects in a unborn child?

Question

I am 27 weeks pregnant and my college professor had told me this yesterday. I had went to the hospital the day before and at the same place I will deliver a Doctor offered me a diet soda. I am not sure what to believe can anyone help?

Answer 1

When I was pregnant I like to drink those fruit flavored waters because often anything else just made me gag but many of them are sweetened with the fake stuff. So, I asked my doctor and she said that as long as I stuck to just the types with Splenda it was okay because it's the only artificial sweetener that is actually derived from real sugar.
My son is 14 months old now and just peachy.

Answer 2

Last I heard, the jury is still out on this one. There is no conclusive evidence that says that artificial sweeteners are safe during pregnancy, but there is no evidence that they aren't, either. Basically, the rule of thumb is to err on the side of caution- however, I had 2 different OBs during my pregnancy (we moved) and neither told me to avoid diet sodas or anything like that. I drank tea with Sweet n Low occasionally during my pregnancy and my daughter is fine. If we avoided everything that they think might be harmfu;, we wouldn't be able to eat anything! Just be sure to avoid the biggies, like unpastuerized soft cheeses, and seafood with high mercury levels, and you'll be fine.

Answer 3

Honestly, it would not surprise me at all. None of them are completely safe. Aspartamine causes severe migraines in some people, and I'm one of those unfortunate souls. I don't drink anything with artificial sweeteners in it, and I'm not pregnant.

If I was, I definitely wouldn't.

Answer 4

I WOULD ASSUME THAT IF THAT WAS TRUE THERE WOULD BE WARNING LABELS ALL OVER THE PACKAGE TO PREVENT LAWSUITS. IF THERE ARE LABELS ON AN IRON NOT TO IRON THE CLOTHES WHILE YOU ARE WEARING THEM, THEN THERE WOULD SURLY BE WARING ON SUGAR IF THERE WAS A RISK.