Large amounts of caffeine may put a pregnant woman's unborn child at risk. Because experts have not reached a consensus regarding how much caffeine is safe during pregnancy, the March of Dimes advises women who are pregnant or trying to conceive to limit caffeine consumption to less than 200 mg per day. Consuming more may increase your risk of developing complications.
Miscarriage
A study in the March 2008 issue of the "American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology" by Xiaoping Weng, Ph.D., et al showed that pregnant women who consumed 200 mg or more of caffeine a day had double the risk of miscarriage compared to pregnant women who did not consume caffeine.
Increased Risk of Cleft Lip
In the May 2009 volume of "American Journal of Epidemiology," Johansen et al reported a slightly increased risk of cleft lip in babies born to mothers who consumed more than 3 cups of coffee a day in the first trimester of pregnancy. The researchers noted that the effect was minimal and also noted that effort would be best expended encouraging women to take folic acid to prevent cleft palate.
Decreased Blood Flow to the Placenta
Caffeine can cause blood vessels in the placenta to constrict, which reduces its ability to provide your developing baby with oxygen and nutrients and remove waste products.
Increased Fetal Heart Rate, Breathing and Metabolism
Caffeine crosses the placenta easily, which means when you consume caffeine, your baby also experiences its stimulant effects in the form of rapid heartbeats, faster breathing and a sped-up metabolism, all of which strain his developing body.
Strain on Developing Organs
Babies cannot metabolize caffeine and get rid of it as quickly as adults. When you consume caffeine, it remains in your baby's bloodstream longer and at higher levels than it does in yours, producing larger and more prolonged stimulant effects and straining his immature liver, as it works to rid caffeine from his developing body.
Stillbirth
In the February 2003 issue of the "British Medical Journal," Dr. Kirsten Wilborg and colleagues found that women who drank 4 cups of coffee or more per day had an increased risk of stillbirth when compared to pregnant women who did not drink coffee.
Reduced Birth Weight
Dr. Michael Bracken and colleagues reported in the March 2003 issue of the "American Journal of Epidemiology" that babies of women who consumed high levels of caffeine during pregnancy were more likely to weigh slightly less at birth than babies whose mothers did not consume caffeine. The authors noted that the decrease was small and most likely only relevant to women who consumed more than 6 cups of coffee a day.
Increased Newborn Heart and Breathing Rates
Babies whose mothers consumed large amounts of caffeine during pregnancy have faster heart rates and breathing rates and spend more time awake in their first few days after birth.
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References
- BabyCenter: Caffeine During Pregnancy
- PubMed: Maternal Consumption of Coffee and Caffeine-Containing Beverages and Oral Clefts
- British Medical Journal: Maternal Consumption of Coffee During Pregnancy and Stillbirth and Infant Death in First Year of Life
- March of Dimes: Caffeine in Pregnancy
- American Journal of Epidemiology: Association of Maternal Caffeine Consumption with Decrements in Fetal Growth
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