Caffeine During Pregnancy

The advice on caffeine in pregnancy varies depending on the source. Some books and articles will tell you that a small amount of caffeine is fine, while others recommend skipping it altogether. The same is true among health care professionals. Some say a limited amount of caffeine is not dangerous, while others say to eliminate it entirely. With advice differing, it can be difficult to know what to do.

 

The issue becomes even more confusing because studies of caffeine use in pregnancy are not consistent. An FDA study in the late 1980s showed that caffeine consumption had an impact on miscarriage rates. The study was later refuted due to the fact that rats were used in the study. Later studies on humans were criticized because they failed to control for other contributing factors such as tobacco and alcohol use.