Caffeine Intake During Pregnancy and Fetal Size
According to information published March 25, 2021, pregnant women who consumed caffeine equivalent to 0.5 cups of coffee per day gave birth to smaller babies than those who did not consume caffeinated beverages.
The researchers found that there was a trend toward a reduction in infant size and lean body mass associated with mothers consuming less than 200 milligrams of caffeine per day.
The study.
analyzed data on more than 2,000 racially and ethnically diverse women at 8-13 weeks gestation in 12 clinical sites.
All women were nonsmokers and had no health problems prior to pregnancy.
From 10 to 13 weeks gestation, the women provided blood samples that were analyzed for caffeine and paraxanthine.They also reported their daily consumption of caffeinated beverages (coffee, tea, soda, energy drinks) in the past week.
Compared to infants born to women with no or minimal blood levels of caffeine, infants born to women with the highest blood levels of caffeine were found to be on average 84 grams lighter, 0.44 cm smaller, and 0.28 cm smaller in head circumference at birth.
Also, women who drank about 50 mg of caffeine a day seemed to have infants born 66 g lighter and 0.32 cm smaller in thigh circumference than infants born to women who did not consume caffeine.
As for the problem.
The researchers noted that caffeine constricts blood vessels in the uterus and placenta, reducing the blood supply to the fetus and possibly stunting growth.
Similarly, they believe that caffeine may disrupt stress hormones in the fetus, potentially exposing it to rapid weight gain after birth and the risk of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes later in life.
Gleason, JL et al. Maternal Caffeine Consumption and Metabolism and Neonatal Anthropometry in the NICHD Fetal Growth Study. JAMA Network Open. 2021 DOI: 10.1001
