Children & Women
Study: Caffeine raises miscarriage risk
By Sue Mueller
Jan 22, 2008 - 7:03:22 AM

MONDAY JAN 21, 2008 (Foodconsumer.org) -- Pregnant women should not drink caffeine-laced coffee, a new study suggests.  The study found women who had intake of 200 mg caffeine per day doubled the risk of miscarriage compared to those who did not drink the popular beverage.

Early studies like all types of other studies resulted in inconsistent conclusions.  Some showed an increased risk of miscarriage in women who drank coffee while others have found that drinking a couple cups of coffee a day did not impose much of a risk.

In the current study, Dr. De-Kun Li of the Kaiser Permanente Research Division in Oakland, California and colleagues surveyed 1,063 women for their consumption of caffeine during their pregnancies from Oct 1996 to Oct 1998.

Women who consumed 200 mg or more of caffeine each day were twice more likely to experience miscarriage than women who consumed none, the researchers found.  Those who had less than 200 mg per day were still 40 percent more likely to have the risk.

200 mg of caffeine can be found in two or more cups of coffee or five 12-ounce cans of soda

A scientist affiliated with foodconsumer.org commented that the study per se could not determine whether or not the increased risk is attributed solely to intake of caffeine.  Women who drank coffee during pregnancy might be more likely those who also drink alcohol and follow unhealthy lifestyle.

However, the possibility that drinking coffee harms fetuses can not be excluded.  Coffee does not have any nutrition value although many studies sponsored by the industry have "found" that the beverage may have some positive impact on human health.  

The message is clear, pregnant women should by all means avoid drinking any coffee during pregnancy. The study determined the risk for those who drank 200 mg of caffeine a day, but that does not mean less than 200 per day is safe to drink.

The study appears today on the Web site of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.