Pregnancy & Baby 

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Storm in a teacup?

Two recent studies have linked caffeine with miscarriage. Pat Thomas reveals how the risk increases with the amount of caffeine consumed

Once you become pregnant the number of foods you need to be wary of increases dramatically. Most pregnant women know they should avoid unpasteurised cheese because of the presence of the bacteria lysteria, which can cause listeriosis and put your baby at risk. Liver, shellfish and peanuts are also on the banned list and alcohol should only be consumed in moderation, if at all. Now there’s another item to avoid – and it’s bad news for those addicted to the teapot or wedded to endless mugs of coffee.

A recent American study in the journal Epidemiology, found that women who consumed more than 20 mg of caffeine a day during early pregnancy had a greater risk of miscarriage.
By comparison with women who consumed less than 20 mg:

• Those who consumed 20-99 mg/day (equivalent to a chocolate bar and a cup of instant coffee) were one and a half times more at risk of miscarrying.
• Those who consumed 100-299 mg/day were twice as susceptible.
• Those who consumed more than 300 mg/day had two and a half times the risk.

The link between miscarriage and caffeine consumption was even stronger in women who had morning sickness

Women who consumed over 300 mg/day of caffeine and suffered from nausea, were deemed to be five times more at risk of miscarrying.

The research also suggested that caffeine consumption resulted in decreased levels of oestrogen, which while alleviating the nausea – and perhaps encouraging the woman to drink more – may also increase the risk of miscarriage.

The finding of the American study echoed those in a Swedish report published last year in the New England Journal of Medicine.
It found that compared with less than 100 mg/day intake of caffeine:

• 100-299 mg per day was associated with 1.3 times the risk of miscarrying
• 300-499 mg/per day there was a 1.4 times risk
• Above 500 mg/day the risk was 2.2 times greater

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