Drinking caffeine during pregnancy has been linked to a heightened risk of stillbirth in a new study.
Researchers have said that people should be informed of the risk, particularly if they drink above 300 milligrams a day – which is the equivalent of three mugs of instant coffee.
It is already known that caffeine should be limited during pregnancy, and guidance on the NHS website suggests pregnant women shouldn’t consume more than 200 milligrams a day.
But the study authors said said that the more women can ‘cut down beyond that the better.’
It’s important to note that caffeine isn’t only found in coffee. You could be inadvertently going beyond the limit by consuming other things as well.
Caffeine is found naturally in some foods and drinks, such as tea and chocolate. It is also added to some energy drinks, cold and flu remedies and some soft drinks.
The new study, conducted by researchers from Tommy’s Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre at the University of Manchester, examined data from 290 women who lost their babies after 28 weeks gestation across 41 maternity units across the UK between 2014 and 2016.
This was compared to 729 women with an ongoing pregnancy.
Overall, more than half of the women surveyed reduced caffeine consumption during pregnancy.
Researchers found that 15% of women who had a stillbirth consumed more caffeine than the World Health Organisation’s recommended upper limit of 300mg a day – compared to 8% of women who did not have a stillbirth.
They concluded that each added 100mg per day of caffeine was associated with a 27% increase in the risk of stillbirth.
How much caffeine is in different food and drinks?
- 1 mug of instant coffee = 100mg
- 1 mug of filter coffee = 140mg
- 1 mug of tea = 75mg
- 1 can of cola = 40mg
- 1 can (250ml) of energy drink = up to 80mg (larger cans may contain up to 160mg)
- 1 bar (50g) of plain chocolate = most products on the UK market contain less than 25mg
- 1 bar (50g) of milk chocolate = most products on the UK market contain less than 10mg
In a day, you will almost reach your 200mg caffeine limit if you have:
- 2 mugs of tea and 1 can of cola
- 1 mug of instant coffee and 1 can (250ml) of energy drink
NHS
They also found that drinking energy drinks appeared to carry a higher risk than coffee and cola.
Study author Prof Alexander Heazell, Tommy’s research centre director and professor of obstetrics at the University of Manchester, said: ‘Caffeine has been in our diets for a long time, and, as with many things we like to eat and drink, large amounts can be harmful – especially during pregnancy.
‘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.
‘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.’
Breaking habits can be hard, but Prof Alexander suggests little things like switching to decaf or swapping fizzy drinks for fruit juice or squash can really help reduce the risk.
‘If you’re worried or confused, talk to your doctor or midwife, or use tools like Tommy’s caffeine calculator,’ he adds.
Tommy’s chief executive Jane Brewin added: ‘Eight babies are stillborn every day in the UK, and the reasons often have nothing to do with diet and lifestyle – but we know there are some things we can do to reduce the risk of this tragedy, so communicating these latest research findings as widely as possible is a vital part of our mission to save babies’ lives.’
Dr Mary Ross Davie, from the Royal College of Midwives, added: ‘The clarity this Tommy’s study provides on the need for pregnant women to reduce caffeine from all sources, not just from coffee, is exceptionally helpful, for midwives and pregnant women alike.
‘A single energy drink contains half of a pregnant woman’s maximum recommended daily allowance of caffeine – 200mg – yet she may not realise it.
‘It is so valuable for midwives, maternity care professionals and women to understand more about this crucial issue so that we can continue to reduce the number of stillbirths each year in the UK.’
If you are pregnant, or trying for a baby and have any concerns about your diet or caffeine intake, speak to your GP or midwife for help and advise.
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source https://metro.co.uk/2020/11/18/caffeine-during-pregnancy-linked-to-heightened-risk-of-stillbirth-13613379/
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