Back in 1980 the FDA published a warning advising pregnant
women to restrict or eliminate their intake of caffeine because of its
teratogenic effects (cause birth defects). This was echoed in 1994 with a
review of over 200 medical journals by Dr. Astrid Nehlig that was published in
The Journal of Neurotoxicology and Teratology.
Currently, the advice on caffeine intake during pregnancy is
moderation - meaning less than 300mg. This is because new studies show no harm
with intakes less than that. Due to the fact that scientific studies are
showing new and different results, I tend to be conservative in my personal
view on caffeine and pregnancy.
What does caffeine do?
Caffeine stimulates your central nervous system, leaches
calcium, reduces iron absorption, has a diuretic effect and crosses the
placenta into your baby. This means it has the following results in your body:
o Raises
your heart rate
o Decreases
the amount of calcium in your body
o Dehydrates
you
o Increases
your blood pressure
o AND the
same things occur for your baby (except baby will steal from your bones to get
needed calcium)
That's not all - it also interferes with a normal fetal
growth, is associated with lower birth weight and weakens adrenal glands, which
affect your blood sugar regulation and stress coping abilities.
It is best to avoid or at least reduce your caffeine intake
to no more than 300mg per day. Some experts say no more than 150mg per day. You
may be able to handle the caffeine, but baby's liver is immature and not able
to get rid of it like you. Imagine if that 1 cup of morning coffee lasted you
40-130 hours as it does for your baby.
Common caffeine sources
o Coffee
(100-200 mg per 8 ounce)
o Tea
(black 60mg, green 40mg)
o Soda
(40-75mg per can)
o Dark Chocolate
(5-35mg per 1 ounce)
o Milk
Chocolate (1-15mg per 1 ounce)
o Headache
medicine (65-130mg)
If you are a caffeine user, I recommend reducing to less
than 300mg per day (some studies show increase miscarriages with more than
300mg). Then gradually reducing to as close to zero as possible, which will not
only benefit your baby, but also your ability to handle stress.
Laura Flynn, Registered Dietician, is Co-Author of The Fit
and Healthy Pregnancy Guide - your source for holistic coaching on pregnancy
nutrition and exercise. Visit FitandHealthyPregnancy.com for Free
Special Reports and articles.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Laura_Flynn
Categories:
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