Coffee during pregnancy: Does caffeine harm the child?

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Coffee during pregnancy: Will I harm my unborn child?

Written by: Svenja Schindler | July 14, 2023 | Reading time 3 min

With a positive pregnancy test, thousands of new questions suddenly arise. Many of them revolve around nutrition, as the expectant mother is no longer eating alone. We answer questions about coffee consumption during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

We answer these questions in this blog:

What are the general scientific recommendations for the amount of coffee that can be consumed during pregnancy?
What consequences can coffee consumption during pregnancy and breastfeeding have for the sleep quality of the child?
Can it lead to a premature birth, miscarriage or ADHD of the child if coffee is consumed during pregnancy?

1. RECOMMENDATION ON CONSUMPTION OF COFFEE DURING PREGNANCY AND BREASTFEEDING

According to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the recommendation for a healthy pregnant or breastfeeding mother is no more than half the maximum amount of caffeine that applies to a healthy adult1. The guideline corresponds to a maximum intake of 200 milligrams of caffeine spread over the whole day, or about two cups of coffee. To ensure the safety of the newborn, no more than 2 cups of coffee should be consumed per day, although the exact amount should always be discussed with the doctor.

2. EFFECTS ON THE SLEEP OF THE NEWBORN

Pregnant and breastfeeding mothers often do not want to give up their daily coffee. We fully understand this, but does this affect the child's sleep? A Brazilian study on moderate coffee consumption during pregnancy and breastfeeding found no effect on the sleep of 3-month-old infants.

The results of the study raise questions because the caffeine concentration in the blood of the fetus is similar to the concentration in the pregnant woman, as caffeine can pass through the placenta unhindered. It is therefore unclear why even high caffeine consumption during pregnancy and breastfeeding had no effect on the sleep of the children in the study. One possible reason could be that the unborn child develops a tolerance to caffeine if it is regularly exposed to it in the womb. In addition, scientists do not yet agree on how much caffeine ultimately reaches the child via breast milk3.

3. POTENTIAL NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON THE UNBORN CHILD

According to one study, newborns had a higher risk of developing ADHD or other hyperkinetic disorders if they consumed large amounts of caffeine, which were well above the recommended maximum amount. It should be noted that other influencing factors also played a role. This study is therefore not applicable to individual cases4.

AS SCIENCE SAYS ABOUT COFFEE CONSUMPTION DURING PREGNANCY?

Unfortunately, there are still too few meaningful studies on the effects of coffee during pregnancy, so not all questions have been answered. According to the available studies and the EFSA's recommendation, coffee does not seem to be completely taboo for pregnant and breastfeeding women, although it depends on the amount, the constitution of the mother and child, and the medical assessment.

Other studies report that maternal caffeine consumption is associated with serious adverse effects on pregnancy5.

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FAKT SCHEINT EINES ZU SEIN…

If the expectant or breastfeeding mother regularly consumes a lot of caffeine per day, negative Effects on themselves and the child (e.g. sleep disorders, mood swings, premature labor, birth defects and ADHD) cannot be ruled out.

If you don’t want to take the risk and would rather play it safe, then we recommend our Decaf capsules with 0% caffeineWe decaffeinate our coffee without the use of chemicals and use the Swiss Water process.

Feel free to check out our other blog posts Myths about Coffee and to the health benefits of coffee over.

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SOURCES:

1. EFSA (2015): EFSA explains risk assessment: caffeine.

2. Santos IS, Matijasevich A, Domingues MR. (2012): Maternal caffeine consumption and infant nighttime waking: prospective cohort study. Pediatrics; 129(5):860-8.

3. Starostzik C. (2012): Coffee: The next generation drinks too. ÄrzteZeitung

4. Linnet KM, Wisborg K, Secher NJ, Thomsen PH, Obel C, Dalsgaard S, Henriksen TB. (2009): Coffee consumption during pregnancy and the risk of hyperkinetic disorder and ADHD: a prospective cohort study. Acta Paediatr; 98(1):173-9.

5. James JE. Maternal (2021): caffeine consumption and pregnancy outcomes: a narrative review with implications for advice to mothers and mothers-to-be. BMJ Evidence Based Med; 26(3):114-115.