I read a new study recently that has made me change the advice that I will give to women during pregnancy. The study by Dr Sengpiel and colleagues looked at the caffeine intake of over 50,000 mums and the effects on their babies. Previously, I have given the recommendations of the World Health Organisation which states that mums-to-be can consume up to 300mg of caffeine per day, but after reading this I have started suggesting that women try to limit their intake to less than 50mg per day during pregnancy.
I read a new study recently that has made me change the advice that I will give to women during pregnancy. The study by Dr Sengpiel and colleagues looked at the caffeine intake of over 50,000 mums and the effects on their babies. Previously, I have given the recommendations of the World Health Organisation which states that mums-to-be can consume up to 300mg of caffeine per day, but after reading this I have started suggesting that women try to limit their intake to less than 50mg per day during pregnancy.
Why?
The study concluded that caffeine intake was consistently associated with babies being born with a lower birth weight, and an increased risk of being born ‘small for gestational age’ (SGA). Babies who are born ‘small for gestational age’ have a higher risk of developing medical problems than babies born of a healthy weight. It is also commonly caused by malnutrition and smoking.
We also know that caffeine is digested more slowly during pregnancy and that it crosses the placenta so it has a direct impact on your baby’s development.
The particularly worrying part of this research from my point of view was that even women who consumed 200-300mg caffeine per day (which meets the World Health Organisation recommendations) had a significantly increased risk, and it was only women who consumed less than 50mg per day that consistently had babies born with a healthy birth weight.
What does this mean in practical terms?
One strong cup of coffee can provide up to 175mg of caffeine in a 200ml cup, so now I recommend that mothers-to-be skip their morning caffeine-hit and choose a nutritious snack instead.
Many mums-to-be find that their desire for caffeinated beverages dissipates when they fall pregnant (isn’t it wonderful the way that our body’s work?), and the caffeine consumption of women in this study reflected the experiences of the many mums that I have spoken to. However, the research showed that although many women’s caffeine consumption decreased when they fell pregnant, it wasn’t the case for all women. On average, the caffeine intake of women studied dropped to 30% of usual intake in the first trimester, but then snuck up again to approximately 50% of usual intake by the third trimester. In light of this research and the fact that caffeine isn’t needed for nutrition, I believe that it is best to avoid caffeinated drinks as much as possible during pregnancy.
To do: If you’re pregnant, try to replace your daily cuppa with a cup of warm milk or hot water.