4 Things you should know about consuming caffeine while pregnant

Women go through different experiences during pregnancy. But there is one thing that women all have to go through when they are pregnant; being careful of what to eat or drink. We want what’s best for the baby that is growing inside us and we want to have a healthy pregnancy all throughout. There are some foods and drinks that needed to be consumed moderately or be avoided altogether to avoid getting any complications during pregnancy. This leads us to the question, “Is it safe to drink coffee while pregnant?” It’s a common question that a lot of coffee lovers ask. For mothers who are used to having caffeine every day, one can wonder if it is safe when pregnant.

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Here are four things you should know about consuming caffeine while pregnant.

 

1. Caffeine intake can affect the blood flow and blood sugar levels.

 

Caffeine is a drug that can affect one’s blood flow and blood sugar levels. When you are pregnant, you must maintain a normal blood pressure and blood sugar level. Caffeine can also limit the blood flow going to the placenta. Studies have shown that it can be dangerous if you consume more than 300 mg of caffeine every day. In order to be safe, you can still drink coffee and have that daily dose of caffeine but keep it below 200 mg or approximately less than two cups of coffee per day. If you can, you may skip having coffee especially during your first trimester where pregnancy complications are more present. However, there is also a good alternative for coffee. There are herbal and organic teas like the ones from Tea and Coffee that has less caffeine and much safer for pregnant women.

 

2. Caffeine can affect your body’s iron absorption.

 

Another effect that can happen to your body when drinking coffee or any caffeinated beverages is it can make it harder for your body to absorb iron. Most of the time, pregnant women will experience having low on iron and if you have too much caffeine in the body. If you really need to have coffee, teas, or any other caffeinated beverages, make sure to drink it between meals so it will lessen its effect on iron absorption.

 

3. Caffeine can cause miscarriages.

 

It has been a proven fact that caffeine can cause miscarriages. In one study, it was found out that women who consume 200 mg or more of caffeine daily likely had a miscarriage. In this case, women should limit the caffeine intake per day to at most 12 oz cup of coffee per day.

 

4. Caffeine can increase the frequency of urination.

 

Dehydration is the one you should avoid when you are pregnant. If you do not control your caffeine intake, you will have an increased frequency of urination which will lead to a reduction of body fluids in your body. When this happens, it can lead to dehydration and can certainly affect your baby. You must remember that when drinking any liquids, caffeinated or not, your baby will also have it.