Is It Really Necessary To Quit Caffeine During Pregnancy?

Caffeine is a naturally occurring substance seen in many plants, beans, and seeds. A lot of the time, it is linked with coffee which consists of the highest caffeine concentration. Nevertheless, caffeine is also seen in a variety of food and beverages like nuts, colas, hot chocolate and other chocolate products. It can additionally be found in some medications and other food supplements.

Not many of us understand that caffeine is just equivalent to other drugs like nicotine and alcohol which have an addictive property, the reason why many people pine for coffee, tea or cola. It gives us a "feel-good-sensation" simply because it has the ability to activate our brain's pleasure center. The heartbreaking part regarding caffeine though, is the reality that a number of research have strongly implicated it with a number of prenatal risks.

In a longitudinal study carried out at the two big hospitals in United Kingdom covering 2635 expecting mother subjects, 13% had a child with fetal growth restriction (birth weight at less than 10th percentile). Higher caffeine consumption was related to higher chances of having growth-restricted babies. On the contrary, the association between caffeine intake and fetal development restriction is reduced for individuals taking less than 100 mg/day of caffeine.

As far as the above study is concerned, researchers calculated that the possibilities of having a baby with fetal growth restriction in females who consumed 100-199 mg/day of caffeine is 20% higher, 50% greater for those who consumed 200-299 mg/day, and 40% higher for those who ingested more than 300 mg/day of caffeine.

In one more study documented early this year of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, there was an observed association of high caffeine consumption with increased chance for miscarriage. The respective rates of miscarriage amongst females with no caffeine use, 0 to 200 mg/day, and 200 mg/day or more were 12%, 15%, and 25% respectively.

Caffeine intake during pregnancy is also linked to cryptorchidism. This is a condition wherein one or two undescended testicles at birth persist to at least 2 years of age. This was concluded by a prospective study performed at the Center for Research on Women's and Children's Health in Berkeley, CA. Investigators assessed that sons of mothers who drank three cups of coffee a day in the course of pregnancy have been likely to have persistent cryptorchidism. There has been recent interest with cryptorchid children owing to their increased risk for developing testicular cancer.

Though the deleterious effects of fetal growth restriction, miscarriage, and cryptorchidism have revealed substantial linear association mainly with high caffeine intake, this should not make any pregnant woman complacent. There is sufficient proof to indicate that any amount, no matter how low your caffeine intake, can result in some physical effects on your little one. Caffeine: (a) increases your little one's heart rate, b) may have an effect on how much your baby moves in utero, (c) can cause you to absorb less iron which is detrimental to your infant's all round development, and (d) babies tend to store caffeine in their blood for longer periods of time and could have a potential risk to reach dangerously high levels.

Here are some generally loved caffeinated beverages with approximated caffeine content that you may as well think of giving up.

instant coffee (8 oz) - 70 mg, brewed coffee (8 oz) - 60-120 mg
tea (8 oz) - 15-45 mg
coca cola (12 oz can) - 34 mg, pepsi cola (12 oz can) - 38 mg
chocolate milk (8 oz) - 4 mg, dark chocolate (1 oz) - 20 mg,
milk chocolate (1 oz) - 6mg

So if you are expecting, there's good enough reason to give up or at least cut again on your caffeine consumption. It may be tough to give up your morning cup of coffee or tea, but the price is high if you don't. Just think that you and your little one's wellbeing are far more important than the irresistible taste of brewed coffee!