Low Dose Caffeine At Pregnancy, May Still Be Bad

Filed in archive Medical Issues on December 19, 2008

Photo courtesy of iStockphoto, Image# 2314063

Well I used to be a heavy coffee drinker that when i became pregnant it posed a problem. I missed coffee so terribly especially during the first trimester when I would get so sleepy. Back then (6 years ago) I read somewhere that drinking not more than 3 cups of coffee a day is still safe. To be on the safer side, I did a one cup twice a week. Only at times when I couldn't resist it anymore and only after the first trimester.

A new study on mice states that even a low dose of caffeine (meaning just two cups of coffee) ingested at pregnancy may be enough to affect fetal heart development and then reduce heart function over the entire lifespan of the child. The researchers admit that while the study was done on mice, the results could be plausible in humans.

So the question still remains, will you give caffeine the benefit of the doubt during pregnancy? Various studies are saying a different thing. What really is safe? Can you drop caffeine/coffee altogether? I too am undecided what to do. But like I described above, I wanted to be on the safer side and did not gorge on coffee at pregnancy.

But about you, what is your stand on this?