How Much Caffeine Is Safe During Pregnancy?

Caffeine is the most widely consumed drink globally wherein people consume 3-4 cups of coffee in a day. But is it safe to consume caffeine or caffeinated beverages during pregnancy. Read on to learn how much caffeine is safe in pregnancy.

How Much is Too Much?

Nothing beats the first sip of coffee in the morning. Pre-pregnancy, that first cup of coffee, tea or soft drink helped kickstart your day. But if you’re pregnant, the American Pregnancy Organization recommends you limit your caffeine intake to 200 mg a day and this includes food with caffeine, too.

But how do you know if you’re reaching your limit? Below listed is the source along with the caffeine content. Please note the amount can range from brand to how it’s prepared.

Consulting your doctor on how much caffeine you can drink during pregnancy is crucial so they can guide you towards the right caffeine intake level.

Will caffeine affect my pregnancy and baby?

During pregnancy, the metabolizing process of caffeine may be prolonged, leading to presence of caffeine in your bloodstream for a while after your drink a caffeinated beverage. This is called "caffeine clearance", which refers to how long it takes the caffeine to leave your bloodstream.

The placenta provides your foetus with food and oxygen through the umbilical cord and when you drink coffee or other caffeinated beverages, the baby will be on the receiving end of it. While there are studies that conflict this, it’s best to keep your caffeine intake to under 200 mg.

One research shows no impact on the baby’s sleep during the first 3 months of their life.

The study also observed similar results for breastfeeding mothers.

Another study reports that there could be a poor sleep and fussiness in babies whose mother drinks 10 or more cups of coffee daily. Also, drinking over 450 mL of coffee during pregnancy may lower the iron level in breast milk.

Moderate caffeine consumption is considered safe and approved by The American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists because it does not significantly contribute to miscarriage or preterm birth. One cup of average brewed coffee is about 137 milligrams of caffeine, so, if you have just one cup of brewed coffee a day, you should be fine.