It is clear that nutrition is exceedingly important during pregnancy, and after reading Chapter 13 I wished to further explore the effects of caffeine on pregnancy. Caffeine is the most widely consumed stimulant in the world (Derbyshire & Abdula, 2008). As a stimulant, it increases blood pressure and heart rate and, as a diuretic, reduces body fluid levels, which can lead to dehydration. Each of these conditions is undesirable during pregnancy, making the careful consumption of caffeine during pregnancy important for these reasons alone. Moreover, caffeine is able to cross the placenta, exposing the developing fetus to its effects ("Caffeine Intake During Pregnancy", 2013). The baby is unable to metabolize caffeine as efficiently as the mother and caffeine metabolites have been found to build up in the fetal brain (Sengpiel, et al., 2013).
While 75% of the world's caffeine consumption comes from coffee, the American Pregnancy Association cautions that caffeine is found in more than just coffee (Derbyshire & Abdula, 2008). Other common sources include tea, chocolate, and headache medications. Moderate caffeine consumption during pregnancy is considered safe by many experts and is defined as 150-300 mg/day ("Caffeine Intake During Pregnancy", 2013). Nevertheless, the recommended upper intake level in the U.S. is 450 mg/day, which is 150 mg higher than the UK's 300 mg/day recommendation (Derbyshire & Abdula, 2008). These discrepancies in recommendations simply underscore the need for continuing research on the effects that caffeine has on pregnancy.
One study, conducted by Sengpiel et al. (2013), hoped to determine the relationship between caffeine and gestational length and birth weight. While the average caffeine intake reported by the 59,123 mothers that were surveyed was well below the recommended 150-300 mg/day, caffeine intake still appeared to consistently lower birth weight. 10% of the women surveyed reportedly consumed greater than 200 mg/day of caffeine and this was associated with a 60% greater risk of the baby being small for its gestational length, which is linked to increased chances of neonatal mortality. Increased caffeine intake was correlated to smoking, both behaviors that increase risk factors during pregnancy. The study concluded by recommending that the current recommendations for caffeine consumption during pregnancy be re-evaluated in order to better ensure the health of both mother and child.
Another study that I examined chose to research the effects of caffeine on women of childbearing age in general, not just those that are pregnant. The research report by Derbyshire and Abdula (2008) was entitled “Habitual caffeine intake in women of childbearing age” and hoped to further current research that points to decreasing fertility and increased miscarriages due to caffeine. The women surveyed in this study averaged 173 mg of caffeine a day and 18% of the women exceeded 300 mg/day. As in the other study, increased caffeine consumption was also linked to smoking. High caffeine diets may result in delayed conception, infertility and increased risk of osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease and cancer for women later in life, yet many women are unaware of these risks. Steps need to be taken in order to inform the public about the possibly harmful effects of caffeine on women of childbearing age. This study revealed that women who had been educated on the effects of caffeine consumed less, suggesting that proper education about these risks could significantly reduce caffeine consumption in women of childbearing age.
Overall, just as our textbook suggests, limiting caffeine consumption during pregnancy appears to be the most sensible course of action. As other sources indicate, limiting caffeine during women's childbearing years as well may have a positive effect on their health and ability to carry healthy children. I believe additional research should be conducted in order to establish more accurate upper intake limits during pregnancy as well as for the general public. Nevertheless, increased public education on the known harmful effects of caffeine appears to be one way to positively impact the health of our nation.
Sizer, F.S. and Whitney, E. (2012). Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies. United States: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
Sengpiel, V., Elind, E., Bacelis, J., Nilsson, S., Grove, J., Myhre, R., & ... Brantsæter, A. (2013). Maternal caffeine intake during pregnancy is associated with birth weight but not with gestational length: results from a large prospective observational cohort study. BMC Medicine, 11(1), 1-18. doi:10.1186/1741-7015-11-42
Derbyshire, E. E., & Abdula, S. S. (2008). Habitual caffeine intake in women of childbearing age. Journal Of Human Nutrition & Dietetics, 21(2), 159-164. doi:10.1111/j.1365-277X.2008.00859.x
http://americanpregnancy.org/pregnancyhealth/caffeine.html
I really enjoyed reading your blog post. Until I read this, I had no idea that caffeine could effect child bearing capabilities for those of child bearing age. I agree with you that more testing needs to be done before you can say that there is a link between the two. However, the thought that there is a chance that I will have trouble getting pregnant later in life because I drink too much coffee today is kind of scary.
ReplyDeleteI also think how it is interesting how both of the studies link caffeine and smoking together. A lot of times, women who are pregnant and extremely concerned about their fetus will do everything possible to avoid any complications. It is public knowledge to most people that doctors recommend not smoking or drinking caffeine while pregnant. However, I believe that it is more likely for women who break one "rule" to break multiple. This could explain why there is such a strong link between the two behaviors.
I found this blog very interesting and it really hit close to home. As a mother of two young children, it was not that long ago when I had to adjust my caffeine consumption when I became pregnant. I remember that caffeine consumption was part of the discussion I had with the nurse during my first visit to the doctor after learning I was pregnant. The nurse even gave me a pamphlet on caffeine use during pregnancy. Fortunately, I did not have to make any significant changes to my caffeine consumption as I was already under the 300 mg per day. I switched from drinking caffeinated coffee to half-caffeinated coffee or brewed tea in the morning. Many days, I just abstained from caffeine altogether. I also made the very-difficult decision to give up my daily Diet Mountain Dew completely, for both the caffeine and for the artificial sweeteners it contains.
ReplyDeleteLiving in a college town for the last eight years, my perceptions of normal or regular caffeine consumption became very skewed. Many coffee and wine bars cater to late-night studiers in addition to the morning commuters. One of my favorite local coffee shops ha d a satellite at the hospital I walked through to get to work everyday. When I went to an allergist last fall I realized that I was consuming at least five servings of caffeinated beverages per day. Though they weren't always coffee derivatives, I decided some changes needed to occur. Making the switch to teas and abstaining from an afternoon cup of coffee with friends was tough to do, mostly because of the psychological habit. However, I saved $2.75 each day I was on campus. I enjoyed your graphic, and as I consider my friends and the myriad of medications some of them take for a variety of reasons, I wonder how much caffeine is in many of our common over-the counter wonder drugs. Many of my friends recently have either started families or are undergoing in vitro fertilization and have been given a really long laundry list of medicines to avoid, surely some of them are because of caffeine.
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