Does Coffee Cause Miscarriages?

news you may not knowUnfit For Mothers-To-Be?

Ah, parenthood. That perpetual state of joyful bliss, eager bonding, and awe-inspiring observation. You watch a young life take root and unfold over the years, ever thankful you get to play a small role in guiding them on their way.

But, what about the coffee?

How do you develop a maternal bond with your child when, even before their birth, they're telling you to watch your diet? And, really, if they feel they must get involved, why can't they insist you cut out broccoli or rhubarb during pregnancy? But coffee?

It's true - and, now it's official.

The debate over whether caffeine is harmful during pregnancy is longstanding. Many studies have indicated caffeine increases the risk of miscarriage, but the study methodologies left the results open to varying interpretations. Well, no more. Dr. De-Kun Li, of Kaiser Permanente Division of Research, conducted a tightly controlled study that eliminates previous questions of methodology.

The results are quite clear. Caffeine intake during pregnancy significantly increases the risk of miscarriage. Women who drank 200 milligrams of caffeine per day were two times more likely to miscarry. 200 milligrams is the amount of caffeine contained in two cups of coffee, or in five cans of caffeinated soda.

Two cups of coffee equals twice the risk.

The researchers recommend pregnant women, or those attempting to become pregnant, eliminate caffeine from their diet - or, at a minimum, restrict it to a single cup per day. Yikes!

Let the bonding begin...

To read more about the study, see this from Reuters. To learn more about experiencing a healthy pregnancy, see this from womenshealth.gov.