Pregnancy Problems Tied to Caffeine

NY Times ^ | January 21, 2008 | DENISE GRADY

[neverdem]

Too much caffeine during pregnancy may increase the risk of miscarriage, a new study says, and the authors suggest that pregnant women may want to reduce their intake or cut it out entirely.

Many obstetricians already advise women to limit caffeine, though the subject has long been contentious, with conflicting studies, fuzzy data and various recommendations given over the years.

The new study, being published Monday in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, finds that pregnant women who consume 200 milligrams or more of caffeine a day — the amount in 10 ounces of coffee or 25 ounces of tea — may double their risk of miscarriage.

Pregnant women should try to give up caffeine for at least the first three or four months, said the lead author of the study, Dr. De-Kun Li, a reproductive and perinatal epidemiologist at the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Oakland, Calif.

“If, for whatever reason, they really can’t do it, think of cutting to one cup or switching to decaf,” Dr. Li said. “Stopping caffeine really doesn’t have any downside.”

Professional groups like the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine have not taken official positions on caffeine, representatives said.

On Friday, the March of Dimes Web site said most experts agreed that the amount of caffeine found in 8 to 16 ounces of coffee a day was safe. It noted that some studies had linked higher amounts to miscarriage and low birth weight, but stated: “However, there is no solid proof that caffeine causes these problems. Until more is known, women should limit their caffeine intake during pregnancy.”

Now, having reviewed the new study, the March of Dimes plans to change its message, to advise women who are pregnant or trying to conceive to limit...

[Ronin]

Tell that to all the ladies in the 40s and 50s who guzzled coffee, tea and cola on a daily basis and still punched out kids on a regular basis.

I am old enough to remember when four kids was an average family and there was nothing unusual about a family of six or more.

[SatinDoll]

These wouldn’t happen to be the “Boomer babies”, the one’s who led demonstrations and blew up government buildings in the sixties?

[mockingbyrd]

hmmmm....the one thing I don’t do during pregnancy (that I allegedly ought to) is cut out caffine. As a result I have two bright beautiful little girls who crawled at four months and walked at nine months. And climbed anything that was still for more then five seconds.....

If this pattern continues with their seven week old brother...I’ll blame caffine.

[philly-d-kidder]

I belive Abortion is a bigger predicator of misscarriages..

[Wonder Warthog]

"Tell that to all the ladies in the 40s and 50s who guzzled coffee, tea and cola on a daily basis and still punched out kids on a regular basis."

Pretty much the entire population of South Louisiana runs on coffee. I'd like to see that extreme example compared statistically to the group(s) from this study.

[stayathomemom]

I had no desire for coffee when I was pregnant. Lime jello with pineapple and pears, yes!

[elc]

Dr. Carolyn Westhoff, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology, and epidemiology, at Columbia University Medical Center, had reservations about the study, noting that miscarriage is difficult to study or explain. Dr. Westhoff said most miscarriages resulted from chromosomal abnormalities, and there was no evidence that caffeine could cause those problems.

“Just interviewing women, over half of whom had already had their miscarriage, does not strike me as the best way to get at the real scientific question here,” she said. “But it is an excellent way to scare women.”

Seems right to me, especially considering there was another study that came out at the same time that stated there wasn't a link between caffeine and miscarriage. But guess which one is getting the media attention.

[elc]

Dr. Carolyn Westhoff, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology, and epidemiology, at Columbia University Medical Center, had reservations about the study, noting that miscarriage is difficult to study or explain. Dr. Westhoff said most miscarriages resulted from chromosomal abnormalities, and there was no evidence that caffeine could cause those problems.

“Just interviewing women, over half of whom had already had their miscarriage, does not strike me as the best way to get at the real scientific question here,” she said. “But it is an excellent way to scare women.”

Seems right to me, especially considering there was another study that came out at the same time that stated there wasn't a link between caffeine and miscarriage. But guess which one is getting the media attention.

[elc]

Dr. Carolyn Westhoff, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology, and epidemiology, at Columbia University Medical Center, had reservations about the study, noting that miscarriage is difficult to study or explain. Dr. Westhoff said most miscarriages resulted from chromosomal abnormalities, and there was no evidence that caffeine could cause those problems.

“Just interviewing women, over half of whom had already had their miscarriage, does not strike me as the best way to get at the real scientific question here,” she said. “But it is an excellent way to scare women.”

Seems right to me, especially considering there was another study that came out at the same time that stated there wasn't a link between caffeine and miscarriage. But guess which one is getting the media attention.

[elc]

sorry, wireless connection acting up . . .