If you are pregnant and consume caffeine regularly, you might need to decrease your daily intake, but it's not necessary to entirely eliminate caffeine unless your doctor suggests otherwise. Replace caffeinated beverages with decaffeinated or half-caffeinated products to decrease your caffeine intake while still enjoying the taste of coffee and tea.
Recommendations
It's still OK to have your morning cup of coffee while you're pregnant. According to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, moderate caffeine intake does not cause birth defects, miscarriage or other complications. Moderate caffeine intake is defined as 200 mg per day. A 12 oz. cup of coffee contains about 200 mg of caffeine, so if you usually have a cup in the morning and more throughout the day, you should use decaffeinated coffee instead of regular.
Risk of Miscarriage
If you consume more than the recommended amount, you increase the chances of miscarriage. A 2008 study published in the "American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology" found that women who consumed more than 200 mg of caffeine per day had a 25 percent chance of miscarriage, as opposed to a 15 percent chance for moderate caffeine users and 12 percent for non-users. Women who obtained more than 200 mg of caffeine from coffee only were more likely to miscarry than those who got the same amount of caffeine from other sources.
Other Risks
High caffeine levels during pregnancy also might influence fetal growth. In a 2008 study published in the "British Medical Journal," women who consumed as little as 100 to 199 mg per day had babies with lower birth weights than mothers who consumed no caffeine. According to the American Pregnancy Association, caffeine also can cause birth defects and preterm delivery. Not many of the studies that have investigated the effects of caffeine during pregnancy have been on human subjects, but you should still play it safe and stick to no more than the recommended maximum amount.
Sources
Although coffee contains the most caffeine per ounce, you probably get caffeine from other sources as well. Tea is another high-caffeine beverage, particularly if you like a strong brew. One 8 oz. cup of black tea might contain anywhere from 40 to 85 mg of caffeine, depending on the strength of the tea. Iced tea, iced coffee and soda are lower-caffeine options that might be better during your pregnancy. Other common caffeinated products include energy drinks, chocolate and coffee-flavored ice cream and frozen yogurt.
References
- "American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists"; No Link Between Moderate Caffeine Consumption and Miscarriage; July 2010
- BabyCenter.com: Caffeine During Pregnancy; 2009
- "American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology"; Maternal caffeine consumption during pregnancy and the risk of miscarriage: a prospective cohort study; Xiaoping Weng et al; 2008
- "British Medical Journal"; Maternal caffeine intake during pregnancy and risk of fetal growth restriction: a large prospective observational study; 2008
- American Pregnancy Association: Caffeine Intake During Pregnancy; 2011
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