Can coffee cause miscarriage?

During pregnancy, the diet of a mother-to-be changes to incorporate some healthy and nutritious food and do away with things that are not going to do much for her health, instead leading to some unnecessary problems in the gestation period. Coffee is one drink — besides alcohol — that many people avoid during pregnancy. It is one of the most popular beverages around the world that comes in many different varieties and variations and people usually like theirs to taste a certain way, with a certain bean, colour, flavour, etc. Amid all the coffee frenzy, how difficult is it for a coffee-loving person to completely avoid it during pregnancy, and is that the right thing to do?
Dr Rana Choudhary, consultant obstetrician, gynaecolog and fertility special at Masina Hospital, Mumbai says many pregnant women consume coffee daily, and caffeine is a stimulant that has a diuretic effect.
“It increases your blood pressure and heart rate along with the frequency of urination; this may cause a reduction in body fluids leading to dehydration. Caffeine crosses the placenta and reaches the ba, and although the pregnant lady can handle caffeine, the developing ba doesn’t have the enzymes needed to metabolise caffeine,” she explains.

The doctor adds that any amount of caffeine can change the fetus’s sleeping pattern and normal movements.
Interestingly, caffeine is found in more than just coffee — it is present in tea, soda, chocolate and some over-the-counter medications for headaches. Caffeinated teas like black, green, white tea, however, are generally considered safe, says the doctor, adding that their intake may need to be limited to avoid consumption of unnecessarily excessive amounts of caffeine.
Pregnant women ought to limit caffeine intake to 200 milligrams each day, which is about 1½ 8-ounce cups of coffee or one 12-ounce cup of coffee. (Photo: Getty/Thinkstock)
How much caffeine is present in your favourite drinks and snacks?
According to the doctor, the figures stand at: coffee-brewed, 8 oz. (95 – 165 mg), brewed-decaf, 8 oz. (2 – 5 mg), espresso, 1 oz. (47 – 64 mg), latte, 8 oz. (63 – 126 mg), diet coke (32 oz) 124 mg, green tea (6 oz) 40 mg and black tea (6 oz) 45 mg.
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Can coffee cause miscarriage?
Citing a study the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology (AJOG), the doctor states that women consuming 200mg or more of caffeine daily were twice as likely to have a miscarriage, and that the risk rose 19 per cent for every increase of 150 mg per day of caffeine and 8 per cent for every increase of 2 cups of coffee/day.

“During pregnancy, half-life of caffeine increases and it reaches 11.5 – 18 hours. Caffeine causes blood vessels in the uterus and placenta to constrict, reducing blood supply to the fetus and inhibiting its growth. Studies published in the past two decades reported major complications due to high caffeine intake like miscarriage, stillbirth, low birth weight and/or small-for-gestational-age-babies, along with childhood acute leukaemia, childhood overweight and obesity,” warns Dr Choudhary.
She suggests that pregnant women ought to limit caffeine intake to 200 milligrams each day, which is about 1½ 8-ounce cups of coffee or one 12-ounce cup of coffee. “If you are breastfeeding, have no more than two cups of coffee a day. If you want your fix, consult with your healthcare provider to make the choice that is best suited for you and your ba,” the doctor concludes.
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