Caffeine is a stimulant that occurs naturally in plant foods such as cocoa and coffee beans but is also manufactured and added to foods and drinks for an extra energy boost. Most people can safely have some caffeine every day, but a growing fetus may be at high risk of harm when exposed to caffeine. When you’re pregnant, you may want to cut back on caffeine or abstain from it altogether, recommends the March of Dimes.
The Risk
Caffeine can get through the placenta and enter the fetus. Although most adult bodies are able to metabolize caffeine in a timely manner, your developing baby’s body is still too immature to do it efficiently. As a result, the caffeine stays in his blood longer, and it may accumulate to a dangerous level. Caffeine also elevates his pulse, may influence his rate of movement in your womb and may interfere with his natural sleep pattern. Caffeine also is a diuretic, which means it causes you to urinate more, and it may dehydrate you and affect the nutrition your baby gets from your body. Caffeine can also interfere with your body’s ability to absorb calcium and iron, which can impede your baby’s development.
Fetal Growth Restriction
A 2010 observational study in “British Medical Journal” found a correlation between the amount of caffeine a pregnant woman consumes and the likelihood of fetal growth restriction. The researchers defined fetal growth restriction as below the 10th percentile for size on a standard growth chart. In the study, the women who had 200 or more milligrams of caffeine during their pregnancies had a baby with a reduced birth weight of about 60 to 70 grams when compared with women who had less caffeine during pregnancy. Women who had a very high level of caffeine were more likely to give birth to babies with a more significant reduction in average weight.
Miscarriage Link
Some research indicates that women who drink caffeine are more likely to have miscarriages than women who have none. For instance, a study published in a 2008 issue of the “American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology” discovered that women who had at least 200 milligrams of caffeine daily were two times more likely to have miscarriages than women who had none. However, another study published in a 2008 issue of “Epidemiology” found no increased risk of miscarriage for women who had a moderate coffee consumption, or about 200 to 350 milligrams of caffeine a day. As of 2011, the March of Dimes recommends taking the safe route and avoiding consuming 200 milligrams or more of caffeine a day, or about as much as you would find in a 12-ounce coffee.
Stillbirth Link
A prospective followup study in Denmark, published in 2003, found that women who drank eight or more cups of coffee on a daily basis during their pregnancies were more likely to have stillbirths than women who had no caffeine. Factors such as the mother’s age, education level, occupation and body mass index had little effect on the risk of stillbirth, but the risk of stillbirth did decrease slightly if women didn’t have unhealthy smoking or alcohol consumption habits.
References
- BabyCenter: Caffeine During Pregnancy; December 2009
- American Pregnancy Association: What’s the Real Scoop on Caffeine During Pregnancy; March 2011
- Epigee Women’s Health: Caffeine and Pregnancy
- “British Medical Journal”; Maternal Caffeine Intake During Pregnancy and Risk of Fetal Growth Restriction…; November 2008
- March of Dimes: Caffeine in Pregnancy; May 2010
- “American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology”; Maternal Caffeine Consumption During Pregnancy and the Risk of Miscarriage…; X. Weng, et al; March 2008
- “Epidemiology”; Caffeine and Miscarriage Risk; D. Savitz, et al; January 2008
- “British Medical Journal”; Maternal Consumption of Coffee During Pregnancy and Stillbirth…; February 2003
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