Caffeine in pregnancy
What type of food contains caffeine?
Coffee, tea, soft drink, chocolate, hot cocoa and even some medication over the counter to relieve headaches.
Why should I cut down my intake of caffeine during pregnancy?
- Caffeine is a stimulant. Hence, it would cause your blood pressure and heart rate to increase which is not so good during pregnancy.
- Caffeine is a diuretic. This means it increases the amount and frequency of you urinating. It could cause dehydration of your body.
- It could cross the placenta. Hence, this could stimulate your baby whom may not be able to metabolise the caffeine properly leading to changes in the baby’s movement and sleep pattern.
- It is associated with growth restriction in your babies and low birth weight babies.
- It is associated with miscarriages and preterm labour especially if you have high intake of caffeine in your diet.
I need to have my daily dose of caffeine. What amount should be ok for me to have during pregnancy?
Previously studies have recommended a daily intake of caffeine of less than 300mg/day. However, based on recent studies has recommended an intake of less than 200mg / day. This is equal to about:
- 2 mugs of instant coffee (100mg each)
- One mug of filtered coffee (140mg)
- 2 mugs of tea (75mg each)
- 5 cans of cola (40mg each)
- 2 cans of ‘energy drinks’ (80mg each)
- Four bar of plain chocolate. Milk chocolate contains less caffeine than dark chocolate
It is perhaps better to try and cut down your intake of caffeine or avoid caffeine altogether.
REFERENCES:Care study group. Maternal caffeine intake during pregnancy and risk of fetal growth restriction: a large prospective observational study. BMJ 2008; 337:a2332.
