One study suggests that caffeine consumption during pregnancy could cause significant and harmful brain changes in the fetus. We take stock of the situation.
If
you're pregnant, you've probably already looked up countless
information on the Internet about your pregnancy. "Can I take
paracetamol?" "Can I make skipping rope?" "Can I take paracetamol?" "Can
I make skipping rope?" "Am I allowed to eat mustard?" There are many
questions. And among your questions, it may be the one about coffee.
As
a future parent, it's normal to wonder if it's dangerous to drink
coffee, and thus expose the fetus to this energizing and stimulating
beverage. And indeed, there are risks. Consuming too much caffeine can
increase a mother-to-be's blood pressure and heart rate, and is believed
to be associated with increased miscarriages and baby deaths at birth,
according to Best Health Mag.
Long-term effects of caffeine consumption during pregnancy
Published on January 30, 2021 in the journal Neuropharmacology,
a scientific study reveals that caffeine consumed during pregnancy
could alter important brain pathways in the fetus, which could then
translate into behavioral problems in the child years later.
To arrive at this finding, researchers at the Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience at the University of Rochester (New York, USA) followed 9,157 expectant mothers, 4,135 of whom reported consuming caffeine more than once a week throughout their pregnancy. The scientists then analyzed brain scans of the children from these pregnancies when they were nine to ten years old.
They found clear changes in the way the white matter circuit-which forms connections between brain regions-was organized in children whose mothers reported consuming caffeine during pregnancy.
"These
are sort of small effects that don't cause horrible psychiatric
disorders, but they do lead to small but visible behavioral problems
(such as hyperactivity and attention deficit disorder) that
should lead us to consider the long-term effects of caffeine consumption
during pregnancy," said John Foxe, director of the Del Monte Institute
for Neuroscience, and lead author of the study. "I suppose the outcome
of this study would be to make a recommendation that caffeine
consumption during pregnancy is probably not such a good idea," he added
in a statement.
For now, the team says it is unclear whether the impact of caffeine on
the fetus differs by trimester of pregnancy, or when exactly these brain
changes occur.
For now, in the absence of further data, the
researchers recommend that pregnant women limit their caffeine intake
(including coffee and other beverages) to the equivalent of 2 cups of
coffee per day.
Coffee and pregnancy: what recommendations?
Do
we really have to say goodbye to the morning drink that allows most of
us to come to our senses after a night's sleep? Luckily, no. For most
pregnant women, 300 milligrams of caffeine, or about two cups a day, would be safe. You can try to make your cup last throughout the day so you can stay fit from morning to night without a refill.
Not
all brands of coffee have the same caffeine content, so be sure to read
the label before making hot kawa. Decaffeinated coffee, for example,
contains caffeine, but much less than regular coffee. This option allows
you to repeat the ritual of having many cups of coffee each day.
Another tip: Simply replace the coffee with herbal tea.
The
recommendation of 300 milligrams per day is valid for each trimester of
pregnancy. Some women find that the acidity of coffee adds to morning
sickness or heartburn. In this case, avoid drinking coffee on an empty
stomach, and listen to your body to identify the best time of day to
drink coffee. If in doubt, don't hesitate to discuss the subject with a
health care professional.
Mothers who are breastfeeding can safely consume about two to three cups of coffee per day. If your toddler seems more irritable or is not sleeping, it may be best to reduce coffee consumption and see if it makes a difference.
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