Pregnancy and Caffeine

Although the relative safety of caffeine consumption during pregnancy has remained a point of debate in many medical circles, recently a small but significant new study reinforced the idea that reducing caffeine intake during pregnancy below even conservative recommended intakes may have merit.

In research published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology in February 2008, epidemiologists from the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in California found that women who consumed 200 milligrams or more of caffeine a day -- equal to about 12 ounces of coffee or about 30 ounces of tea -- may double their risk of miscarriage.

Thus far, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has not commented on the findings or changed its position on caffeine intake, which states that "there's no proof that small amounts of caffeine harm the fetus." They continue to maintain that one to two cups, or 16 ounces, per day is safe.

The March of Dimes, however, has revised its policy based on the study, reducing their suggested daily intake from the previously recommended 16 ounces of coffee down to 200 milligrams of caffeine total from all sources per day -- which is roughly the amount found in 12 ounces of coffee.

Davis believes personal risk factors should be taken into consideration. "If you are at increased risk for miscarriage, if you have a history of pregnancy loss, if you are exposed to other factors that might increase the risk of miscarriage, then it's probably a good idea to avoid caffeine, or at least restrict intake under what the latest research suggests," she says.

At the same time, if you are young and healthy and your pregnancy is not at any great risk, you can probably safely consume a little more than that. And certainly, she says, going overboard once or twice during your pregnancy is not likely to cause you any great harm.