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Drinking caffeine while pregnant impacts child's height: Study

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CNN  — 

Starting the day with a hot cup of caffeinated coffee or tea may sound divine to some, but it could have negative impacts for the children of people who are pregnant, according to a new study.

Children who were exposed to small amounts of caffeine before birth were found on average to be shorter than the children of people who did not consume caffeine while pregnant, according to the study published Monday in JAMA Network Open.

Children of parents who consumed caffeine while they were in the womb were shown to be shorter in stature at age 4 than those whose parents did not — and the gap widened each year through age 8, according to lead author Dr. Jessica Gleason, a perinatal epidemiologist.

“To be clear, these are not huge differences in height, but there are these small differences in height among the children of people who consumed caffeine during pregnancy,” said Gleason, who is a research fellow at Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists currently recommends limiting caffeine consumption to less than 200 milligrams per day while pregnant.

Pregnant woman drinking coffee. Aerial close up view.

Caffeine consumption not safe during pregnancy, new study says. Some experts disagree

For context, a mug of caffeinated tea typically has about 75 milligrams of caffeine, a mug of instant coffee has about 100 milligrams and a mug of filtered coffee has about 140 milligrams, according to the Cleveland Clinic. And even chocolate has about 31 milligrams of caffeine.

But the differences found in the most recent study were found even in the children of parents who drank less than half a cup of coffee per day while pregnant — well below the current guidelines, Gleason said.

It’s not clear whether this study effectively shows causation between maternal caffeine consumption and child height, according to Dr. Gavin Pereira, a professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at Curtin University in Australia. Pereira was not involved in the study.

“The correlation observed in this study can be explained by the existence of a common cause of both caffeine consumption and growth restriction e.g., poverty, stress, and dietary factors,” said Pereira in a statement to the Science Media Centre.

Even small amounts of caffeine may impact a fetus in utero, accoring to the study.

If shorter height in early childhood were to persist into adulthood, there would be a chance those children could face the risk of poor cardiometabolic outcomes, such as heart disease and diabetes, which are associated with smaller stature.

Consuming caffeine is routine for many of us — this expert explains a few things we should know about it.

When to stop drinking caffeine to get a good night's sleep

But there is still no way to know if the difference would persist into adulthood, and studies like this that focus on population outcomes are no reason for individual families to panic, Gleason said.

These population-level trends should instead be taken together with other research for organizations to reassess their recommendations, Gleason said.

In the past, there were inconsistent studies regarding whether consuming caffeine during pregnancy impacted the fetus, but the evidence has come together in recent years, Gleason said.

A 2015 meta-analysis that reviewed all of the existing research found there is a dose response association between consumption of caffeine and smaller birth size. And a 2020 study revealed there is no safe level of caffeine for a developing fetus.

Even without the panic that Gleason cautioned against, some people might want to cut back on caffeine — and then find that it’s easier said than done.

Remember, caffeine is found in coffee, tea, soft drinks, energy drinks and shots, as well as cocoa and chocolate. It’s also present in fortified snack foods, some energy bars and even some pain medications. (For a more extensive list of caffeine content from various sources, check the chart from the Center for Science in the Public Interest.)

CNN

The caffeine 'detox': How and why to cut back on your daily fix

A 2016 Johns Hopkins University study found that it was helpful when individuals identified situations or moods in which they are most likely to crave caffeine so they could avoid situations that trigger cravings, especially during the first few weeks of modifying caffeine use. Caffeine drinkers could also have a plan for when cravings occur, like taking a five-minute relaxation break involving deep-breathing exercises.

Remember to always discuss any major lifestyle or dietary changes with your health care provider first, as changes may affect your mood or medical conditions.

Coffee and pregnancy - Medical Center "Materna"

Today we will talk about a delicious drink that is loved by millions of women and men. I think everyone guessed that we will talk about coffee.

So: coffee and pregnancy. Does drinking coffee harm the unborn baby or mother? If yes, then what?

Pregnant women ask their doctors, mothers, and friends such questions every day, and often receive rather diametrical answers. In fact, there are divergent opinions regarding the safety of drinking coffee during pregnancy. One of the most common is the belief that drinking coffee leads to the birth of children with a lower body weight and increases the likelihood of spontaneous miscarriages, especially in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. nine0003

Let's try to figure out where the truth is.

In order to get answers to the questions raised, various studies have been and continue to be conducted in the world for a long time on the effect of coffee on the course of pregnancy and the condition of the fetus. The latest recommendations from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (which, by the way, are used not only by doctors in North America, but also in Europe and Australia), indicate that in the case of 200 mg of caffeine per day, the level of spontaneous miscarriages and premature births does not increase. The indicated amount of caffeine - 200 mg - is found in 2 cups of strong coffee or 3 cups of instant coffee. nine0003

Another recent study by Danish scientists has also shown that coffee is safe for pregnant women. Moreover, according to the results of their observations, the number of cups of coffee that will not have a negative impact on the course of pregnancy and the health of the fetus is 3 cups per day.

At the same time, American experts from the National Institutes of Health express a slightly different point of view. According to them, drinking 2 or more cups of coffee a day can increase not only the risk of spontaneous miscarriages, but also affect the likelihood of conception. Therefore, they recommend not to abuse caffeine not only during pregnancy, but also during its planning. nine0003

Is decaffeinated coffee actually safer?

By the way, there is an opinion that in order to avoid the harmful effects of caffeine, it is better to consume decaffeinated coffee. At first glance, a logical way out of the situation. However, a small but large-scale study suggests that women who consume 3 or more cups of this drink, the frequency of spontaneous miscarriages is more than 2 times higher than those who drink regular coffee. Another large study showed that it was decaffeinated, rather than natural coffee, that increased the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Well, and finally, it should be noted that decaffeinated coffee is chemically processed coffee, which is fundamentally not a healthy drink. nine0003

Coffee and hypotension during pregnancy

Let me draw your attention to this fact: in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, women often experience hypotension - low blood pressure. This is manifested by increased fatigue, periodic moderate headache, deterioration in general well-being, sometimes very significant.

So what do you do when your blood pressure is low and coffee might help you feel better? And what about pregnant women who do not want to part with their favorite drink during pregnancy? After all, you just heard some pretty good opinions about drinking coffee during pregnancy. nine0003

So what do we conclude?

I think that in this situation the attitude towards your favorite drink can be formulated as follows:

• Limit coffee consumption to two cups a day, if earlier their number was noticeably large.
• Make coffee less strong than usual.
• Replace coffee with some other drinks - juices, water, compotes.
• Learn to control your actions and desires - during pregnancy, such a skill will be very useful to you. nine0032
• Avoid decaffeinated coffee.
• Drink coffee to raise blood pressure only when you are sure that it is actually lower than usual.

That's it.
Let your pregnancy be comfortable!

Can pregnant women drink coffee? TEA.RU

Coffee is, without a doubt, one of the most popular beverages that people drink almost all over the world. This is an axiom that does not require proof. For many of us, coffee has long become a tradition, and for some, it is an integral part of our lifestyle. There are people among us who cannot imagine the morning without a cup of strong aromatic drink. If we don’t get the “next dose” of caffeine in the morning, it seems to us that the world around us has lost its colors, the mood is hopelessly spoiled, and in general the day didn’t work out initially. nine0003

According to statistics, women drink coffee more often than the strong half of humanity. And then the day comes when a woman finds out that she is pregnant. For many, the question immediately arises as to whether it is possible to drink coffee during pregnancy, how an invigorating drink can affect the health of the child and mother. Is it possible to drink coffee during pregnancy - this is a rather difficult question that has long been of concern to scientists around the world. Opinions on this matter are very different, many scientists study the use of coffee during pregnancy. Unfortunately, there is still no clear answer to this question. But there are certain studies, the data of which will help to understand this issue. nine0003

If we delve deeper into this problem, there are many more questions:

• Is it possible for pregnant women to drink natural coffee or is it better to give preference to an instant drink?
• What kind of coffee can pregnant women drink, and in what cases?
• Should coffee be avoided early in pregnancy or is it necessary later?
• If there is a ban on this drink, why not coffee during pregnancy?
• How much coffee can pregnant women, if the doctor allows? nine0003

And these are far from all the questions that a woman asks herself when she finds out about her “interesting position”. After all, many do not want to give up the morning charge of vivacity, but not a single woman would definitely want to harm the unborn baby, which is natural. So, pregnancy and caffeine - let's try to figure it out.

Coffee during pregnancy: yes or no

The question of whether it is possible to drink coffee during pregnancy can only be answered by a doctor who observes her. The fact is that coffee as such has some “contraindications”. Both in early pregnancy and later, and indeed for women, even if they are not in a “special position”, coffee is not useful if:

• history of chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, such as gastritis, hyperacidity, peptic ulcer, and others;
• there is a tendency to high blood pressure, which is already characteristic of pregnant women due to natural physiological reasons;
• Pregnancy occurs during the hot summer months, as drinking caffeinated drinks can lead to dehydration.
• coffee in early pregnancy is contraindicated if a woman has early toxicosis, accompanied by dizziness and nausea; nine0045 • a lady "in position" was diagnosed with high cholesterol levels in the blood and in some other conditions.
Thus, drinking or not drinking coffee can be decided only after the pregnant woman is fully examined and registered for pregnancy. Timely early visit to the doctor is the key to the health of both mother and baby.

Examination will allow at the very beginning of the journey to choose the lifestyle that will be as healthy as possible and conducive to easy childbearing. The effect of coffee on pregnancy can be different, depending on the general health of the expectant mother and some other factors. nine0003

Can I drink instant coffee during pregnancy?

What is instant coffee? Good instant coffee is prepared using sublimation processes and other technologies from natural coffee. The result is a drink rich in micro and macro elements, beneficial nutrients and other compounds. This coffee has all the useful qualities of the original product, polished taste and aroma.

It is worth noting that instant coffee, in comparison with natural coffee, has a lower caffeine content. Accordingly, if there are no contraindications, then instant coffee is possible for pregnant women, but without much fanaticism. If 1 cup a day will not hurt the expectant mother and baby, then 5-6 cups of instant coffee during pregnancy are strongly not recommended by specialists. nine0003

Natural coffee during pregnancy

According to research, natural coffee contains 30-40% more caffeine than its soluble counterparts. Because of this, natural coffee has a more pronounced effect on the nervous system of the human body, has a pronounced stimulating effect and can affect the development of the fetus.

Scientists have conducted a number of studies on the long-term effects of coffee on pregnancy. In the course of these studies, it was found that natural coffee during gestation affects the formation of certain brain structures, which can lead to behavioral abnormalities. Such deviations may not appear immediately, not in infancy, but at the age of 9-10 years.

This may be hyperactivity or even aggressive conduct of the child. There is also evidence that in the future a child whose mother abused caffeine-rich drinks during pregnancy is prone to the development of malignant hypertension and various metabolic disorders.

If the pregnancy proceeds without complications, and there are no additional contraindications, then natural coffee in a volume of up to 200 ml is acceptable and does not harm either the mother or the fetus. Can pregnant women drink coffee with milk? Definitely yes! And the more milk you add to your usual drink, the more benefit and less harmful effects on the body of the mother and fetus. nine0003

Can I drink decaffeinated coffee during pregnancy?

We have already said that there are cases when coffee during pregnancy is strictly contraindicated. In this case, many coffee drinkers mistakenly assume that decaffeinated coffee can be an alternative. Such a drink is in the assortment of almost every specialized store. Moreover, sellers often recommend such a product to women "in position."

Please note! Doctors do not categorically recommend using decaffeinated coffee, since, among other things, such a product contains substances in large enough quantities that are in no way useful when carrying a fetus:
• essential oils;
• fineness;
• resins;
• cafestol, etc.
These substances are able to very quickly "wash out" calcium from the body of a woman, which is so necessary for the formation of the bones of the fetal skeleton. Thus, decaffeinated coffee during pregnancy is not the best solution and not at all a harmless drink. Its amount should not exceed 1 cup per day if your doctor has allowed you.

When can pregnant women drink coffee? nine0064

In some cases, it is worth noting in fairness, pregnant women can drink coffee and a drink can even be useful. These are the cases when:
• the expectant mother has a low level of hemoglobin, which is confirmed by the results of laboratory tests;
• with confirmed iron deficiency anemia;
• with chronic hypotension, that is, if a pregnant woman has low blood pressure;
• there are some deviations in cardiac activity that require correction. nine0045 In this case, the ideal option is latte during pregnancy. It is better to cook it like espresso from a coffee machine, to which a large amount of natural milk is added, which replenishes the deficiency of calcium, potassium and other substances useful for the body of the pregnant woman and the fetus.

How coffee affects pregnancy is still being studied by many scientists, and each time more and more contradictory data are found. It follows from this that there is no complete picture of how coffee affects pregnancy in modern medical science. Is coffee allowed during pregnancy is a question that only your doctor can answer, but in this case you yourself must realize and take full responsibility for all possible consequences.

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