Caffeine and It's Effects on Low Birth Weight

A recent study published this year in the journal BMC Medicine concerning caffeine intake during pregnancy, indicates it might be linked to low birth weight, but not with pre-maturity. Some mothers are breathing a sigh of relief while others are tossing their coffees in the trash. We've had the caffeine debate for what seems like forever, with the pro-versus-no arguments ranging from theories that it might cause fetal cardiac problems to miscarriages and premature labor.  After studying these theories thoroughly, experts eventually agreed that a cup of coffee probably doesn't do any harm; yet, a gallon of coffee doesn't do anyone any good either!

The caffeine study was done in Norway and looked at 59,000 pregnant women who self-reported their caffeine intake at 17, 22, and 30 weeks. While the conclusion that caffeine consumption is linked with low birth weight babies is statistically significant, its important to look at the details. When >200 mg/day of caffeine was consumed it was associated with a decrease of 2.2 ounces from an expected birth weight and when the consumption was 100 mg/day the decrease birth weight was 0.98 ounces. Yipes! That's pretty small.

So the important thing to remember - in the US, the recommended dose of caffeine per day is less than 200 mg/day. If your pregnancy is low risk, stick to the recommended dose.  If your pregnancy becomes high risk because of the possibility your baby may be small, then cutting the caffeine might be a good idea.

I definitely agree that "a cup of coffee proably doesn't do anybody any harm and a gallon of coffee doesn't do anyone any good."

Dr. Emily Wiebracht, Mt Auburn OBGYN in Cincinnati, OH