Caffeine linked to pregnancy problems

Too much caffeine during pregnancy may increase the risk of miscarriage, a new study says, and the authors suggest...

Too much caffeine during pregnancy may increase the risk of miscarriage, a new study says, and the authors suggest that pregnant women may have to reduce their intake or cut it out entirely. Many obstetricians already advise women to limit caffeine, though the subject has long been contentious, with conflicting studies and various recommendations given over the years.

The new study, being published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, finds that pregnant women who consume 200 milligrams or more of caffeine a day may double their risk of miscarriage. Pregnant women should try to give up caffeine for at least the first three or four months, said the lead author of the study, Dr De-Kun Li. 8220;Stopping caffeine really doesn8217;t have any downside.8221;

On Friday, the March of Dimes website said most experts agreed that the amount of caffeine found in 8 to 16 ounces of coffee a day was safe. It noted that some studies had linked higher amounts to miscarriage and low birth weight, but stated: 8220;However, there is no solid proof that caffeine causes these problems. Until more is known, women should limit their caffeine intake during pregnancy.8221;

Now, having reviewed the new study, the March of Dimes plans to change its message, to advise women who are pregnant or trying to conceive to limit their daily caffeine intake to 200 milligrams or less, said Janis Biermann, its senior vice-president of education and health promotion.

Dr De-Kun Li8217;s study included 1,063 pregnant women who were interviewed once about their caffeine intake. At the time of the interview, their medium length of pregnancy was 71 days. But 102 had already miscarried. Later, 70 more women miscarried, for a miscarriage rate of 16 per cent for the group 8211; a typical rate. Of 264 women who said they had used no caffeine, 12.5 per cent had miscarriages. But the miscarriage rate was 24.5 per cent in the 164 women who consumed 200 mg or more per day.

The increased risk was associated with caffeine itself and not with other known risk factors like the mother8217;s age or smoking habits. Li said, Women who have morning sickness are less likely to miscarry than those who do not. The researchers argued that if they feel ill, some women may consume less caffeine. That tendency may make it appear that they are less likely to miscarry because they avoid caffeine, when the reason is actually that they began with healthier pregnancies.