caffeine miscarriage link
The American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology reports findings of a recent study indicate that consuming just 200mg of caffeine daily during pregnancy can increase your rate of miscarriage from 12% to 25%.
This is roughly the amount of caffeine found in two cups of coffee or five cans of coca-cola/pepsi. It's important to remember that smaller amounts of caffeine are also found in chocolate and black/green/white teas.
This study was conducted with a fairly large population of 1,603 women and is considered the best current evidence of a link between caffeine and miscarriage. However, the jury is still out within the scientific community as there's still some question as to whether caffeine drinkers are more prone to miscarriage due to other factors, such as links between caffeine consumption and personality type (with respect to stress), insomnia, work demands etc etc. However, it's important to note that the study accounted for other risks such as alcohol consumption and smoking ... and the risk of caffeine consumption still existed within the sample population.
I think this is quite important considering that in Australia, midwives are now being taught to recommend black tea as an alternative to potentially complicating herbal teas. Whilst the caffeine content of black tea is minimal compared to coffee - as someone who suffers from a heart condition complicated by caffeine, I can tell you that there's enough of the stuff in a cup of black tea for me to feel it. Hardly medically significant, you might say ... but I personally feel that if a mere 200mg can increase the miscarriage risk that much, then surely any amount of caffeine can have a degree of negative impact?
I think, in my personal practice, I'll be treating caffeine like I treat alcohol when talking to expectant mothers - we don't know how much is safe, therefore I recommend a zero intake. It's going to hurt those who are accustomed to their morning cup of java to get going ... but how could I say anything else?
The SanFransico Chronicle published an article on the study, which cannot be viewed in the AJOG public archives at this time. As any academic will know, by the time findings make it into a journal, the data is often superseded by new studies. This is the joy of the peer review process ;)
Personally, I won't have much trouble cutting out caffeine, since I've pretty much had to anyway, lol. However, I think I'll be paying my naturopath a visit before my next stint in the Pregnancy Advisory Clinic, just to brush up on my list of safe herbal tea alternatives!
x-posted to midwifery and womenhealth
This is roughly the amount of caffeine found in two cups of coffee or five cans of coca-cola/pepsi. It's important to remember that smaller amounts of caffeine are also found in chocolate and black/green/white teas.
This study was conducted with a fairly large population of 1,603 women and is considered the best current evidence of a link between caffeine and miscarriage. However, the jury is still out within the scientific community as there's still some question as to whether caffeine drinkers are more prone to miscarriage due to other factors, such as links between caffeine consumption and personality type (with respect to stress), insomnia, work demands etc etc. However, it's important to note that the study accounted for other risks such as alcohol consumption and smoking ... and the risk of caffeine consumption still existed within the sample population.
I think this is quite important considering that in Australia, midwives are now being taught to recommend black tea as an alternative to potentially complicating herbal teas. Whilst the caffeine content of black tea is minimal compared to coffee - as someone who suffers from a heart condition complicated by caffeine, I can tell you that there's enough of the stuff in a cup of black tea for me to feel it. Hardly medically significant, you might say ... but I personally feel that if a mere 200mg can increase the miscarriage risk that much, then surely any amount of caffeine can have a degree of negative impact?
I think, in my personal practice, I'll be treating caffeine like I treat alcohol when talking to expectant mothers - we don't know how much is safe, therefore I recommend a zero intake. It's going to hurt those who are accustomed to their morning cup of java to get going ... but how could I say anything else?
The SanFransico Chronicle published an article on the study, which cannot be viewed in the AJOG public archives at this time. As any academic will know, by the time findings make it into a journal, the data is often superseded by new studies. This is the joy of the peer review process ;)
Personally, I won't have much trouble cutting out caffeine, since I've pretty much had to anyway, lol. However, I think I'll be paying my naturopath a visit before my next stint in the Pregnancy Advisory Clinic, just to brush up on my list of safe herbal tea alternatives!
x-posted to midwifery and womenhealth