How Much Coffee Can You Drink While Pregnant? 5 Important Facts

How much coffee can you drink while pregnant¹? The amount of caffeine pregnant women can consume is much more considerate. Obstetricians and gynecologists have studied and suggested that consuming a low amount of caffeine can prevent any heart disease. Miscarriage or preterm birth can also be caused if a pregnant women drink more coffee than the suggested amount. Furthermore, caffeine consumption beyond moderation during pregnancy may also result in smaller babies at birth.

Anything consumed in excess is tagged as poison. Relying on this statement, when consumed in excess, coffee, tea, or any caffeinated drink has severe effects on even normal human development while having adverse effects during pregnancy and for infants. So, let’s dive into more facts and studies to know how much coffee can you drink while pregnant.

1. Caffeine Consumption:

The side effects of caffeine are endless, which is why it is given so much attention. According to a study conducted by National Institutes of Health researchers, pregnant women who consumed the caffeine equivalent of half a cup of coffee per day had slightly smaller babies than pregnant women who did not consume caffeinated beverages. The researchers discovered that babies whose mothers consumed less than 200 milligrams of caffeine daily had reduced size and lean body mass.

1.1. Caffeine Consumption During Pregnancy:

During pregnancy, the body’s ability to clear caffeine from the body is delayed, which is why healthcare providers ask to limit coffee and tea consumption. They also state how much coffee you can drink while pregnant. No studies say decaffeinated coffee consumption is advised, but they still have lesser effects than caffeinated beverages.

During pregnancy, women who drink caffeine regularly should be more aware of the effects, or they can also consult their obstetricians and gynecologists and adhere to evidence-based medicine.

1.2. Energy Drinks:

While there are several studies and research on caffeine consumption by women during pregnancy, there are very few or no studies on energy drink consumption for them. This is because every energy drink affects the human body differently.

When considering pregnant women, energy drinks and caffeine can cause negative impacts. Energy drinks also contain a high amount of caffeine, but they are limited.

2. How Much Coffee Can You Drink While Pregnant?

Most people get their caffeine from soft drinks, tea or coffee daily. Regarding the question of how much coffee can you drink while pregnant, the American College of Obstetricians suggested that women should not consume more than 100mg of caffeine per day during their pregnancy. Maternal caffeine consumption should be restricted for various reasons that were previously discussed.

Pregnancy caffeine intake should be limited to two cups of coffee or caffeinated tea per day as they can raise blood pressure, cause contraction of blood vessels and also causing rapid weight gain for the mother and inhibit the growth of the fetus and can also affect the baby’s growth after birth.

Researchers noted that caffeine intake exceeding the recommendations could cause pregnancy loss and pregnancy outcomes. A cup of brewed coffee contains 135mg of caffeine, and other caffeinated beverages add up to 100 to 200mg.

2.1. How Much Caffeine Does One Cup Of Coffee Contain:

An 8-ounce coffee has an average of 95mg of caffeine as a regular or brewed coffee. A cup of decaffeinated coffee contains about 3mg of caffeine on average. Moderate amounts of caffeine intake can be taken, or it would also be better for women to cut caffeine during pregnancy. So, let’s see how much coffee can you drink while pregnant.

As directed by the American college of obstetricians, it is recommended to limit caffeine during pregnancy to up to 100mg.

2.2. How Much Caffeine Does One Cup Of Tea Contain:

Wondering how much caffeine tea contains? Its amounts in a cup of black tea range between 14 and 70mg, a cup of Green tea contains 24 to 45 mg of caffeine, and the value ranges from 6 to 60 mg in white tea.

3. Effects Of Caffeine On Pregnant Women:

Caffeine consumption can cause ill effects like irritability, sleeplessness, and nervous system disturbances. It is advisable to check how much coffee can you drink while pregnant.

The fetal stress hormones are also affected while consuming coffee daily. This can have serious effects on the child’s health. The body during pregnancy will find it difficult to metabolize caffeine at its gestational age. Several studies were made that linked high caffeine consumption ²to babies that were born with low birth weight, and in worst cases, it can also lead to miscarriages, as said by many health institutes.

It is also believed that caffeine causes the blood vessels in the uterus to shrink. It also reduces the necessary blood supply to the baby which might inhibit its growth.

3.1. Absorption Of Coffee In The Body:

Absorption of caffeine happens in the liver. It gets absorbed very quickly in the gut and gets diffused in the body’s water and fat. It can take up to 12 hours for 200mg of caffeine to completely leave the body.

3.2. Short-term Effects Of Moderate Caffeine Consumption:

As it gets instantly absorbed into the body, its effects are pretty much short-term. The effect of coffee can be felt no longer than 15 minutes.

These effects could include briskness, high physical energy, and increased breathing and heart rate. The crucial period during pregnancy is the second trimester, when pregnant women should be even more careful. Moderate caffeine consumption can be effective for up to 12 hours.

3.3. Effects On Infants:

It is advisable to give coffee to children above ten years of age, so too much caffeine during pregnancy will lead to harmful conditions for the babies.

Caffeine crosses the placenta to reach the baby, and overconsumption of caffeine will be putting infants through various ill effects. Human development can also be disturbed at slight levels. Even through breast milk, caffeine can reach babies.

This can be avoided by consuming less coffee. Giving importance to the child’s health is very much essential for their health benefit.

4. What Is Caffeine Addiction?

You already know how much coffee can you drink while pregnant. If your amount is high, it is likely to fall under addiction. Addiction is a term that means a compulsive need to use a particular substance or material. Caffeine can make people addicted to it. Caffeine blocks the adenosine receptors in your brain that make you tired. This eventually makes you brisk and energetic but can prove to be quite harmful.

4.1. Symptoms Of Caffeine Addiction :

Caffeine addiction has quite some symptoms. First of all, headache is seen in most adults addicted to caffeine. They might also get shaky hands, nervousness, sleep issues, and dizziness as the second level. In the final stage, the heartbeat gets abnormally raced, and the blood pressure increases.

4.2. Actions For Caffeine Addiction:

If the person suspects to be addicted to coffee, they can start some actions to slowly withdraw from it.

The first step should be assessing the consumption of caffeine intake he/she is consuming. This will make them understand if it is too much or too much. Reducing the intake to 10% every two weeks can help with addiction without causing symptoms.

Drinking a lot of water can also help reduce coffee addiction symptoms. If the person is nauseated or has a vomiting sensation, consuming bland foods and small meals can help.

Connecting with nature makes many illnesses vanish. Try to connect and communicate with nature when addressing any symptoms and get some fresh air.

4.3. Caffeine Withdrawal:

Caffeine withdrawal³ is considered a disorder. As the brain gets addicted to caffeine, it craves more caffeine each day, making it very difficult to withdraw. This makes the caffeine withdrawal symptoms sire and leads to more cravings.

Steadily switching from just coffee to decaf can be a better way to limit caffeine. This way, caffeine levels can be decreased while stopping caffeine after two to three weeks.

A morning cup of coffee can also be substituted with other non-caffeinated beverages to lessen the caffeine effect on human development.

4.4. Symptoms Of Caffeine Withdrawal:

Immediate withdrawal from caffeine causes various symptoms like headache, nausea, tiredness, muscle pain, distraction, irritability, and more, which is why the withdrawal also must be given attention. Thus, we must be careful and should know how much coffee can you drink while pregnant because women during pregnancy are very much fragile and should be given very much care and support.

5. Drinks And Beverages To Avoid During Pregnancy:

Some of the drinks that should be avoided during pregnancy are caffeine, alcohol, and other herbal teas. Alcohol consumption leads to growth and central nervous system problems during any time of pregnancy. Some drinks and beverages contain toxins that weaken the mother’s immune system.

To conclude, how much coffee can you drink while pregnant? It is clearly understood that they can drink coffee but to a very small level. Even though coffee has been shown to increase energy and relieve headaches, it is also risky. As per the health advisers, caffeine consumption must be reduced to a maximum level and even more cautious during pregnancy.

Also check out, Is Baby Oil Good for Your Hair

1. Fenster, Laura, et al. “Caffeine consumption during pregnancy and fetal growth.” American Journal of Public Health 81.4 (1991): 458-461. ↩︎
2. Rhee, Jongeun, et al. “Maternal caffeine consumption during pregnancy and risk of low birth weight: a dose-response meta-analysis of observational studies.” PloS one 10.7 (2015): e0132334. ↩︎
3. Juliano, Laura M., and Roland R. Griffiths. “A critical review of caffeine withdrawal: empirical validation of symptoms and signs, incidence, severity, and associated features.” Psychopharmacology 176 (2004): 1-29. ↩︎

Last Updated on May 9, 2024 by Namrata