Should you stop drinking coffee in pregnancy?
Caffeine is a hot topic when it comes to hormones, well-being, fertility, but especially in pregnancy. It feels overwhelming to know which site to trust, so I thought it was time to break down the evidence so you can make an informed decision on how much coffee is really safe to drink in pregnancy.
What we do know:
In pregnancy, your body breaks down caffeine A LOT slower. Usually it takes up to 4 hours for your body to clear half the caffeine you've had… But by the end of your 3rd trimester, this can take 15 hours (Qian et al., 2019).
Caffeine transfers to the placenta (as well as through breastmilk), and the baby has not yet developed the liver enzymes it needs to break down caffeine (James, J.E., 2021).
The current recommendation is to have no more than 200 mg of caffeine daily in pregnancy (which is equivalent to about 2 shots of coffee, and double shots should definitely be avoided).
The thing is… staying on top of the latest research for pregnancy can be tricky. Ethical considerations mean the health of the mother and baby must always come first, so our research options are often limited.
As a result, we frequently rely on case studies or animal research to make connections. This means that current recommendations don't always fully reflect the newest findings being explored in research at the time.
What the research is saying:
Some recent studies suggest there is solid evidence that no amount of caffeine is safe during pregnancy and women who are pregnant or trying to conceive are best off avoiding caffeine altogether (Qian et al., 2019).
Caffeine consumption has been associated with an increased risk of miscarriage, low birth weight, pregnancy complications, childhood obesity and even a lower IQ (James, J.E., 2021; Qian et al., 2019).
Recent studies suggest there is no safe limit of caffeine, with adverse effects being recorded in intakes as low as 100 mg daily (James, J.E., 2021).
Even two cups of coffee in the third trimester has been shown to reduce placental blood flow by 25% (Qian et al., 2019).
When you think about it, many women naturally feel turned off by caffeine in the first trimester, and you have to wonder… is this the body's way of protecting the baby?
And therefore, should we be listening to this?
It's certainly something to consider…
My advice as a Fertility & Pregnancy Nutritionist:
If you’re already pregnant, I recommend reducing your caffeine intake and ensuring you stay below the recommended daily intake of 200mg (considering caffeine is also found in other products, not just coffee).
If you are still trying to conceive and coffee is something you want to give up (or need to cut back on during pregnancy), gradually reducing your intake now can help manage early pregnancy symptoms, like fatigue and morning sickness.
If you want someone to take the guess workout out of your pregnancy nutrition, I’m here to help.
Whether you're in your first trimester or preparing for birth, you’ll have the support you need to feel confident, nourished, and well-informed.
