The things you choose to eat and drink during pregnancy can potentially affect your unborn baby's health as well as your own. It is important to evaluate the safety of the products you consume during your pregnancy, including diet beverages. Diet drinks can contain caffeine and artificial sweeteners and should be consumed in moderation.
Caffeine
Some diet drinks contain caffeine, which can reduce blood flow to the placenta and may increase miscarriage risk. Soft drinks contain 35 to 54 mg of caffeine per 12 oz and diet drinks can sometimes contain more. Babycenter.com recommends that you limit your intake of caffeine to less than 200 mg a day during pregnancy.
Artificial Sweeteners
Diet beverages often contain artificial sweeteners that are low in calories or are calorie free. Some of these sweeteners, such as sucralose, aspartame and Rebaudioside A, are considered safe in moderation during pregnancy, according to the American Pregnancy Association. Reduce your consumption of beverages containing artificial sweeteners to one to two 12-oz. servings a day. Avoid any beverages that contain the artificial sweetener saccharin, which crosses the placenta and may remain in fetal tissue. According to Babycenter.com, this sweetener caused birth defects in lab rats who consumed high amounts.
Other Dangers
Medline Plus states that diet drinks have been linked to high blood pressure during pregnancy. High blood pressure can place your baby at risk of being born early or prematurely. If he is born prematurely, he may have a low birth weight and be at risk for infection.
Warnings
Aspartame is not safe for consumption if you are pregnant and have high levels of phenylalanine. Be sure to ask your doctor about your specific situation before drinking diet beverages during pregnancy. He can talk to you about which beverages are safest to drink and how much of them you can have.
Recommendations
If you drink diet beverages during pregnancy, be sure to consume other beverages that are good for the nourishment and hydration of you and your unborn baby. Babycenter.com recommends that you drink water, milk and 100-percent fruit juice.
