“I would advise pregnant women to eat as little caffeine as possible and switch to decaf entirely when they can,” Foxe said.
But he urged women not to get a cold turkey if they can help, as caffeine withdrawal can cause a variety of symptoms, including headaches, irritability, nausea, and difficulty concentrating.
“We don’t know what withdrawal, irritability, stress, and anxiety mean to pregnancy,” Foxe said. “Try to cut down on your caffeine consumption before you get pregnant.”
The study has some limitations. Women have been asked to remember how much caffeine they consumed during pregnancy, and memory is not always 100% accurate.
The results were recently published online in the journal Neuropharmacology.
Dr. Mark Klebanoff, principal researcher at the Center for Perinatal Research in Columbus, Ohio, said many studies have looked at the effects of caffeine on pregnancy outcomes, such as the risk of miscarriage. However, it is less well known how caffeine affects children as they age.
“The new study adds to the literature, but it’s not enough to really heavily imply caffeine,” said Klebanoff, who was not involved in the study but checked the results.
“Pregnant women can rest assured that consuming less than 200 milligrams of caffeine a day will not cause miscarriages or premature births,” he said. Klebanoff added that more studies are needed on how this affects the child’s development.
“A typical home cup contains about 100 mg of caffeine, so women can limit themselves to two cups a day during pregnancy,” he said.
But they should keep in mind that other sources of caffeine (like energy drinks, power bars, and chocolate) should be considered part of the total, Klebanoff said.
More information
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists can advise you about coffee and caffeine during pregnancy.
SOURCES: John Foxe, PhD, Director, Del Monte Institute of Neuroscience, Rochester University, Rochester, NY; Mark Klebanoff, MD, Principal Investigator, Center for Perinatal Research, Abigail Wexner Research Institute, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, Ohio; Neuropharmacology, January 30, 2021, online
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