The debate rages on. Drinking coffee during pregnancy: good or bad? Is it ok to drink or not? According to this new study, it may be better to put that cup coffee down, at least for the next few months.
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STUDY: Recent studies urge pregnant women to cut caffeine completely
What has been said before
There has always been a caution and warning to pregnant women who drink coffee during their pregnancy. Women during pregnancy should only drink 200mls of coffee a day and no more. Or go tee total and just do not drink any at all.
How much do you love your coffee?
The Culprit
The biggest reason why doctors have warned about drinking coffee during pregnancy is because of caffeine. Caffeine is the component in coffee that affects our system and “wakes” us up. In truth caffeine is actually defined as a drug because it stimulates your nervous system.
A new study
It is known that caffeine is one of those components that is able to pass through a woman’s placenta. Thus this can affect the baby and its development in the womb.
If a woman cannot cut coffee out completely, it is recommended that she limits herself to one cup a day. In just this decrease in amount will lessen the chances of a still birth by about a quarter.
In a study that is about to be published by the European Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, it is mentioned that caffeine limits that pregnant women consume must be reviewed.
This study shows that unfortunately for coffee loving soon to be mommies, 100mg of caffeine consumed per day increases a woman’s risk of stillbirth by 27 per cent, as compared to those who consumed none. In a Yahoo! article, study author Professor Alexander Heazell, Tommy’s research center director and professor of obstetrics at the University of Manchester says that a filter cup of coffee contains around 120mg of caffeine on average, “so for every cup you have a day, you put your risk up by another 27 per cent. He continued, “If women are able to, it’s probably better not to have caffeine in late pregnancy,” The third trimester is also when late (28-38 weeks of pregnancy) stillbirths occur.
With any pregnancy, we would all rather be safe than sorry.
So what is the verdict?
It seems that it would be advisable to pregnant women to just stay off the caffeine as much as they can. If they cannot, they can consult with their doctor regarding what she can take in its stead.
There are many alternatives out there that can be seen as alternatives, but why not also take this time to help your body detox? This will be great for you and your baby.
Are stillbirths preventable?
Stillbirths are heartbreaking, but good news is that on a whole, they are preventable. There are certain things a mother can do upon reaching the latter part of the second trimester. One would be sleeping on her side. Another would be counting her baby’s kicks. The best time to do so is right after eating as babies are mostly active right after their mothers eat. If the woman is a smoker, either of regular cigarettes or even vaping (yes vaping), this will reduce the possibility of stillbirths exponentially. Just add “lessen coffee intake, or take it out completely” to this list.
Do you want to read more on stillbirth? Click here to learn what is Myth vs. Fact.