Is it OK to Drink Coffee During Pregnancy?
If youre pregnant, check with your doctor about having caffeine. Typically, having one or two cups of coffee is acceptable, but it’s best to limit yourself to that.
It is difficult to determine the precise amount of caffeine in a cup of coffee. The total can vary depending on factors like the coffee’s brand, preparation method, and cup size.
According to studies, it may not be healthy to consume more than 200 milligrams of caffeine per day while pregnant. This is approximately the equivalent of two 6-ounce cups or a 12-ounce cup of coffee. Large caffeine intake during pregnancy has been associated with issues with a baby’s growth and development. Increased risk of miscarriage, low birth weight, and possibly other pregnancy issues are associated with high caffeine consumption.
Over-consumption of caffeine during pregnancy increases the risk of fetal growth restriction, which can lead to low birth weight and/or miscarriage in the unborn child.
A poll of 4,100 pregnant women conducted by Tommy%E2%80%99s showed that 61% would reduce their caffeine consumption habits after being made aware of how much caffeine there is in daily items
Although excessive caffeine consumption (more than 200 mg per day) is associated with miscarriage, low birth weight, and fetal growth restriction, many pregnant women are unaware of what 200 mg actually means.
Since 2008, the Food Safety Authority (FSA) has advised pregnant women to limit their daily caffeine intake to 200 mg, but data from Tommy’s, the pregnancy and baby charity, shows that women are overdosing on caffeine because they are unaware of what 200 mg of caffeine is.
Contact the Tommys press office at 0207 398 3436 or [email protected] for more details or to request an interview with Professor Arri Coomarasamy or Sophie King.
How Can I Cut Back on Caffeine?
Here’s a simple place to start if quitting coffee all at once is difficult for you:
And remember that caffeine isnt only in coffee. Caffeine can be found in cola, green and black tea, energy drinks, and other soft drinks. Consider substituting decaffeinated or caffeine-free products, which may still contain some caffeine but much less of it.
The good news is that you can consume chocolate, which also contains caffeine, in moderation. The average chocolate bar has only 5–30 milligrams of caffeine. So, small amounts of chocolate are fine.