Put Down That Cup of Coffee if You are Pregnant
Once again caffeine intake is being linked to miscarriage. A new study says that caffeine drinking can increase the risk of miscarriage. Caffeine is any form is what is dangerous it doesn’t matter if it comes from tea, soda chocolate or coffee.
According to the January issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology woman who ingest greater than 200 milligrams of caffeine a day, have double the risk of miscarriage than women that don’t have any caffeine. The study looked at 1,063 women from San Francisco; they were interviewed at an average of 10 weeks’ gestation. During the study period, 16 percent of the women, 172, had miscarriages and 60% of the woman said they had up to 200 milligrams of caffeine a day.
“Caffeine, the most frequently consumed drug in the world, crosses the placental barrier and reaches the developing fetus, according to the study. While previous studies have found an association between caffeine intake and miscarriage, it hadn’t been clear whether the problem was due to the caffeine or another substance in coffee, or if it had something to do with non-coffee drinkers’ lifestyles — perhaps people who didn’t drink coffee ate more fruits and vegetables, for example.”
Other known risks of miscarriage smoking, a history of previous miscarriage, drug use, alcohol use and more. Although they have stats saying that 60-80% of miscarriages are because of genetic defect doctors still say to stay away from or at least limit the amount of caffeine pregnant woman intake, at least for the first three months.
pregnancy, pregnant woman, miscarriage, miscarriage risks, healthy pregnancy, pregnancy safety, caffeine and pregnancy, women’s health
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:22 pm
Before this study came out the very folks who were running the survey put the amount of safe caffeine at 300 mg (or 3 cups of coffee instead of 2 post study).
I personally am sick of these warnings to women about what to eat and what not to eat because they change every couple of years.
A little personal history here: I’ve had two miscarriages and two live births. For the two miscarriages I didn’t have any coffee during my brief pregnancies. I really wasn’t a coffee drinker in my younger years.
With my two children I had picked up the habit as it is one of the ways I can clear my head in the morning (one of the hazards of working online is early hours to meet publishing deadlines). As I continued to have my craving for coffee during two viable pregnancies, I continued to drink coffee. Both of these caffeine pregnancies turned out fine.
Miscarriages happen for any number of reasons and it is very rarely tied to day to day living. The medical community who still doesn’t understand much about the early stages of life give all this conflicting advice to make nervous mothers feel empowered. What a crock.
January 23rd, 2008 at 10:24 am
I had a miscarriage and I did drink caffeine while I did not while I was pregnant with my twins.
Do I think there is a definite cause and relation probably not, but why not stay away from caffeine if you can while you are pregnant?
January 24th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
How about the study that shows caffeine lowers the risk of ovarian cancer? http://tinyurl.com/2jn88n
I think moderation is key.
February 27th, 2008 at 12:49 pm
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