A good hot cup of coffee may be your favourite way to start the day, but it might be time to change routines, especially if you’re a mummy-to-be.
Researchers have raised caution to pregnant women to cut off on their caffeine intake because studies have found it could increase stillbirth risk. One cup of coffee a day particularly could already spike the risk by more than a quarter.
Drinking Coffee While Pregnant Could Increase Risk Of Stillbirth
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In a study published in the European Journal of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproductive Biology, researchers discovered that for each 100mg of caffeine consumed by pregnant women, the risk of stillbirth increases by 27 per cent. Since a single filter cup of coffee already contains about 120mg of caffeine on an average, study author Professor Alexander Heazell said that for every cup you drink a day puts you in risk for up by another 27 per cent.
To review the current recommended caffeine limits, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists examined data from 290 women who experienced baby loss after 28 weeks of gestation compared with 729 women with an ongoing pregnancy. This was undertaken in 41 maternity units across the UK between the years 2014 and 2016.
Afterwards, they conducted an interview-led questionnaire regarding the women’s consumption of coffee and other caffeinated drinks to combine information on factors linked to stillbirth. Along with other potential factors of stillbirth risk, including smoking and alcohol intake, caffeine consumption was found to have an increased association with stillbirth.
Their findings also showed that drinking coffee while pregnant isn’t the only thing mums should look out for since intake of energy drinks with an average of 103.9mg caffeine per serving were found to have the most impact with 85 per cent increased risk of stillbirth.
Recommended Amount Of Caffeine Intake For Pregnant Women
To reduce the risk of pregnancy loss and other complications, the World Health Organization recommended an upper limit of 300mg of caffeine intake. The NHS website also advised pregnant women to only consume 200mg worth of caffeine each day.
Meanwhile, a study published in the BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine journal suggested that pregnant women or those trying to conceive avoid coffee completely.
“It’s a relatively small risk, so people shouldn’t be worried about the occasional cup of coffee, but it’s a risk this research suggests many aren’t aware of,” Professor Heazell also added to The Telegraph. “Anyone planning to have a baby needs to know that consuming caffeine during pregnancy can raise the risk of stillbirth and other pregnancy complications, so it’s important to cut down as much as you can; the national guidelines should be the limit, not the goal, and the more you can cut down beyond that the better.”
If you have any concerns regarding your or your baby’s health, feel free to seek medical advice from your midwife or doctor to avoid any pregnancy complications.
This article was published in line with theAsianparent’s initiative Project Sidekicks which aims to help families have healthy pregnancies and babies. Join us as we work on helping reduce the stillbirth rate in Southeast Asia by 10% by creating awareness about the benefits of sleeping on the side during pregnancy, counting the baby’s kicks, giving up smoking and having a strong support system for both mums-to-be and parents who have suffered pregnancy loss. Visit https://project-sidekicks.com/ for more details.
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