Is It Safe To Drink Coffee During Pregnancy?

Image: Shutterstock

Do you crave for a hot mug of coffee after a day of hard work? If yes, then you are not alone. Coffee is a known stimulant and many people prefer drinking coffee regularly. Juggling home and work, and many other stresses are often the triggering factors, which contribute to the urge to drink coffee.
During pregnancy, many women are faced with a dilemma- to have or not to have coffee. While they do not want any harm to their growing babies, they also find it difficult to give up their daily coffee fix.
Let’s check out the fears associated with drinking coffee during pregnancy and learn how to handle them.

Why is It Harmful To Have Coffee During Pregnancy?

Coffee contains two major compounds that are toxic to growing foetuses.

1. Caffeine:

Caffeine is the major component of coffee which can cause cardiovascular toxicity as well as being carcinogenic in high amounts.

2. Polyphenols:

Polyphenols interfere with the body’s capacity to absorb iron from food leading to anaemia.
In pregnancy, these two can compound problems leading to-

• Miscarriage – High amount of coffee intake can cause miscarriage in the early stages of pregnancy.
• Growth Retardation – High coffee intake can lead to low birth weight of baby in the later stages of pregnancy.
• Anaemia – Consumption of caffeine during pregnancy is linked to anaemia, which itself is a causative agent for many health risks and complications associated with pregnancy.