Caffeine is a bitter-tasting stimulant that naturally occurs in certain plants and is also added to certain foods and drinks. Coffee, non-herbal tea, soda and chocolate are major food and drink sources of caffeine. And although consuming a small amount of caffeine per day is generally safe, you should either avoid caffeine or strictly limit your intake during pregnancy to reduce prenatal risks, recommends Epigee Women's Health.
General Recommendations
Your doctor may suggest that you cut down to less than 200 mg of caffeine a day throughout your pregnancy. As a reference point, an 8-oz. cup of brewed coffee has about 95 mg of caffeine, 8 oz. of brewed tea has about 47 mg of caffeine, and 12 oz. of caffeinated cola has about 29 mg of caffeine, according to MayoClinic.com. In some cases your doctor may recommend you avoid caffeine altogether. For instance, drinking any caffeine may further increase pregnancy risks if you have a pregnancy-induced blood pressure condition called preeclampsia.
Risks for Baby
Caffeine crosses through the placenta to your baby. Your baby's metabolism is still immature and it can't fully process caffeine in the same way yours can. As a result, it can accumulate in his system, negatively affect his sleep and movement patterns and cause him to have a dangerously high heart rate, according to the American Pregnancy Association. Furthermore, drinking caffeine during your pregnancy may increase your risk of miscarriage. In a study published in a 2008 issue of the "American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology," women who had below 200 mg of caffeine per day in early pregnancy were 40 percent more likely to miscarry than women who said they consumed no caffeine. Women who drank more than 200 mg of caffeine per day were about nearly twice as likely to miscarry. Still, a study published in a 2008 "Epidemiology" issue found no strong correlation between drinking one or two cups of coffee and a higher risk of miscarriage.
Pitfalls for You
The potential miscarriage risk notwithstanding, you will feel better if you cut back on caffeine. Drinking large amounts of caffeine can lead to the jitters, higher blood pressure, insomnia and heartburn. All of these negative symptoms, which can happen in anyone, may get worse or last longer as you get closer to your baby's due date because your body breaks down caffeine at an increasingly slower pace as your pregnancy progresses, according to BabyCenter. Drinking coffee and tea, specifically, may also increase your risk of an iron deficiency because they contain compounds called phenols that interfere with iron absorption. This may be pronounced when you're pregnant because you have about 50 percent more blood and are already at a higher risk of low iron levels.
How to Cut Back
If you're used to drinking five or six cups of coffee per day, immediately dropping all the way down to zero or one cup a day can be a shock to your body. Common caffeine withdrawal symptoms are fatigue, headaches and irritability. Gradually back down by a cup a day until you're having two or fewer cups. If that is too hard on your system, try having the same number of cups but fill each mug halfway with decaf before you pour in the regular, recommends "What to Expect" online. Slowly increase the level of decaf as your body adapts to the change.
References
- "What to Expect": Caffeine During Pregnancy
- "Epidemiology"; Caffeine and Miscarriage Risk; D. Savitz, et al; 2008
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Maternal Caffeine Intake...And the Risks of Adverse Birth Outcomes; R. Bakker, et al; 2010
- March of Dimes: Caffeine in Pregnancy
- Baby Center: Caffeine During Pregnancy
- Mayo Clinic: Pregnancy Nutrition: Foods to Avoid During Pregnancy
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