Lower birth weight due to caffeine

Caffeine during pregnancy can reduce the baby's birth weight

19/02/2013

In a meta-study, Swedish scientists investigated how caffeine in coffee affects the future birth weight of children of expectant mothers. According to the results obtained by the researchers, caffeine could cause newborns to have a low postpartum weight for the stage of maturity. Caffeine from coffee can also cause pregnancy to take longer on average than other women. The scientists emphasized, however, that their observations are based solely on caffeine from coffee and not from other sources such as tea or chocolate.

Risk increased from 200 milligrams of caffeine
Among the results were the scientists from the Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg, Sweden „during a comprehensive evaluation of data from various studies“, as in the journal „BMC Medicine“ write. „Even amounts between 200 and 300 milligrams of caffeine daily already showed an effect.“ The same amount is actually used by the World Health Organization WHO and the health authorities in Sweden for health „harmless“ classified.

Study director Verena Sengpiel emphasized that beyond that too „there is a context between caffeine consumption and smoking“. Numerous studies have already shown that smoking increases the risk of premature birth and can significantly reduce birth weight. An underweight related to the duration of pregnancy is called the medical term „Small for Gestational Age SGA“ designated. „In this study, we found no association between total caffeine intake or solely from coffee and premature birth“, reports the researcher. „But we found a connection between caffeine and SGA. This context persisted even when we looked exclusively at non-smoking mothers.“ This makes it clear that caffeine consumption without cigarette consumption can have a negative impact on birth weight.

Researchers evaluated data from health studies
For the evaluation, the research team used the data from various studies of nearly 60,000 women who had participated in health studies in Norway. Here, the food intake of different foods was questioned in questionnaires at three times in the course of pregnancy. One aspect was the consumption of coffee or caffeine. In addition, the duration of pregnancy and data of newborns was recorded.

The result showed that even a caffeine intake of 200 to 300 milligrams per day increases the likelihood of a lower birth weight (SGA) many times over. As a comparison, an amount of 0 to 50 milligrams was counteracted.

Coffee extends pregnancy time
In addition, it was found that caffeine from coffee correlates with a prolonged gestation period. „From 100 milligrams, the duration of pregnancy was extended by an average of eight hours“. However, this effect was evident only in the consumption of coffee and not in other caffeine sources. Thus, the scientists assume that other ingredients in coffee must play a role. It is also conceivable, however, that the behavior or lifestyle of coffee drinkers is different than tea drinkers. A spontaneous premature birth, as observed in cigarette smokers, could not be found as a risk here.
The researchers found that „Coffee was the most common source of caffeine among expectant mothers“. Consumers consume about 85 milligrams of caffeine per cup of commercially available filter coffee. Women who drank little or no coffee consumed more tea and / or cocoa. Foods such as drinking chocolate or chocolate bars also played a bigger role. (Sb)

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Picture: Andrea Damm