Caffeine in Pregnancy

What is caffeine and where can you find it?

Caffeine is a substance that occurs in nature in at least 60 plants (leaves, seeds and fruits). It can be found in many foods and drinks. It’s found in tea, yerba mate, carbonated drinks, energy drinks, cocoa, chocolate and even some medicines. However, one of the best known and most popular sources of caffeine is coffee.

 

How does coffee work?

 One of the best known effects of coffee are its stimulating properties. That’s why we usually reach for coffee when we are tired or exhausted. On the other hand, for some people, drinking coffee can make it difficult to fall asleep. Coffee, or rather caffeine contained in it, also has some diuretic properties. Some studies report the possible beneficial effect of moderate coffee consumption on the reduction of the risk of many diseases, including diabetes or cardiovascular disease (for more information on the effects of coffee, see HERE). However, despite many studies on coffee, there is still no clear answer to the question about the safety of its use during pregnancy.

 

How does coffee affect you and your baby during pregnancy?

Remember that caffeine contained in coffee can penetrate the placenta. Therefore, it is not a neutral substance for your baby. Undeveloped and underdeveloped organs are not ready to properly cope with its decomposition, which extends the time needed to remove caffeine from your baby’s body compared to similar processes in the body of an adult. In addition, it is believed that caffeine can interfere with placental blood flow, and thus impede the transport of nutrients to the baby. This in turn may involve the risk of giving birth to a baby with a lower birth weight. Available studies indicate that high caffeine intake may increase the risk of premature delivery and miscarriage.

 

Facts and myths about coffee

• Does caffeine contribute to the birth defects?

Facts: Some studies performed on animals suggest that taking very high doses of caffeine can cause birth defects. However, studies conducted on the human population have not confirmed this hypothesis.

• Does caffeine cause infertility?

Facts: It is thought that consuming high doses of caffeine can cause difficulties in getting pregnant. However, caffeine used in moderation does not cause such problems.

• Does caffeine increase the risk of miscarriage?

Facts: The impact of caffeine on the risk of miscarriage is not clear. Some data indicate that high doses of caffeine may increase the risk of miscarriage or premature delivery. However, consuming coffee in a reasonable amount doesn’t lead to such effects.

• Can you drink coffee while breastfeeding?

Facts: Caffeine can pass into your breast milk. Exposing a newborn baby to caffeine can cause irritability and sleep problems. Therefore, nursing women are advised to limit their coffee intake. 

 

How can you replace coffee?

What if, while pregnant, you decide to cut out coffee completely? In this case, you will certainly wonder how to replace it. I definitely recommend cereal or chicory coffee as well as decaf coffee. Remember, however, that the primary source of fluid for a pregnant woman should be water.

 

Summing up

The impact of coffee on fetal development and pregnancy depends on the amount of caffeine consumed during the day by a pregnant woman. Coffee during pregnancy is allowed, but in limited quantities. According to the recommendations of the World Health Organization, expectant mothers should limit the consumption of coffee to about 2 cups (300 ml) per day. 

 

Bibliography

1. Instytut Matki i Dziecka. Poradnik żywienia kobiet w ciąży.
   http://www.imid.med.pl/images/poradnik-zywienia-dla-kobiet-w-ciazy.pdf
2. Pawłowska-Muc A.K., Łepecka-Klusek C, Stadnicka G., Pilewska-Kozak A.B. Używki w ciąży – kofeina. Journal of Education, Health and Sport.2015; 5(6): 395-406.
3. Wierzejska R., Jarosz M., & Wojda B. Caffeine intake during pregnancy and neonatal anthropometric parameters. Nutrients. 2019; 11(4): 806.