Caffeine’s Effects on Pregnancy

In a study published by the British Medical Journal this month, it was reported that women that consume caffeine while pregnant increase their risk of fetal growth restriction, which is characterized by a fetal weight that is below the 10th percentile for gestational age as determined through an ultrasound. The study involved healthy, pregnant women, evaluating caffeine intake during their pregnancy, including their caffeine consumption one month prior to conception. The study found that fetal growth restriction was seen more often in women that consumed higher levels of caffeine, with women consuming more than 300 milligrams of caffeine per day having a 40% higher chance of having a baby with fetal growth restriction when compared with those that consumed less than 100 milligrams a day. Women that consumed 100 to 199 milligrams of caffeine daily had a 20% higher chance, while women that consumed between 200 and 299 milligrams a day had the highest risk, with a 50% higher chance that their baby would have fetal growth restriction.

Researchers believe that caffeine may be to blame for some cases of fetal growth restriction because it is able to enter the placenta, allowing the mother to pass caffeine along to the fetus. In women with faster caffeine clearance (how quickly caffeine is metabolized), it was found that the relationship between caffeine intake and fetal growth restriction was much stronger than in those that metabolize caffeine more slowly. Another factor that increases the risk of fetal growth restriction is smoking, which doubles the risk of the fetus being below the 10th percentile for gestational age. Researchers compared the effect of caffeine on pregnancy with that of alcohol, saying that the two substances have similar ramifications and that women should avoid consuming caffeine one month prior to conception, stop consuming alcohol after conception, and avoid smoking.

Fetal growth restriction may result in reduced birthweight, requiring additional medical care for the infant. If you or a loved one has medical malpractice questions in New York, please contact the malpractice lawyers of Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, serving clients in Nassau and Suffolk Counties and Brooklyn, the Bronx and Queens, Staten Island and Westchester County.

Call us toll-free 1-877-ASK4SAM and visit www.ask4sam.net