Coffee during pregnancy: benefits and harms

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Pregnancy is the happiest and most unusual period in the life of any woman, because it is at this time that the body changes, rebuilds, new sensations and desires arise. This is especially true for gastronomic preferences. Very often a woman wants some unusual food or, conversely, a forbidden product. The article will focus on a drink that is not recommended to be consumed in large quantities, namely coffee. Doctors still cannot decide whether coffee can be drunk during pregnancy or not, whether it harms the fetus. Some believe that a little drink will not bring harm, others say that caffeine is detrimental to mothers and their unborn children. Can I drink coffee during early or late pregnancy? Or is it better to refrain altogether? We will talk about all this in the article.

Danger to unborn baby

The effect of caffeine on the body is often compared with the effect ofdrugs. In addition, it is often included in the composition of medicines, and for pregnant women, most medicines are strictly prohibited. Drinking large amounts of coffee during pregnancy affects the baby as follows:

• reduces the level of blood flow to the placenta due to the diuretic effect of the drink;
• through the placenta, the baby receives a portion of caffeine;
• promotes an increase in heart rate;
• baby's breathing quickens;
• affects the development of the nervous system and the formation of the skeleton;
• Eating 200mg or more of caffeine in one day doubles your chances of miscarriage or preterm birth.

How does caffeine affect the mother

Naturally, it is not only the child who is negatively affected by coffee. But the expectant mother also suffers from an excess of caffeine in her body. What happens to a mom who abuses coffee during pregnancy?

• A woman's blood pressure rises. This is very dangerous for hypertensive patients, and can also contribute to the appearance of preeclampsia.
• If the expectant mother had an ulcer, or she suffers from gastritis with high acidity, then caffeine is categorically contraindicated. The reason for this is that coffee increases the acidity in the stomach.
• Drink diuretic.
• Abuse of it contributes to the appearance of cholesterol on the walls of blood vessels. Pregnant women over the age of 35 should be especially careful.

Early dates

The drink has a tonic and stimulating effect. And if you drink coffee during early pregnancy, these properties will affect the general condition of the uterus and blood vessels, which (as mentioned above) increases the risk of miscarriage. All this is true, but there is one quite weighty "but". To provoke a critical condition for the fetus, the mother must drink more than five cups of coffee per day, and regularly. And we are talking about a real strong grain drink. Therefore, no matter how much a woman loves him, it is quite possible to refrain from such "killer" doses. So if you do not abuse the amount and do not constantly use a strong drink, then the risk of negative impact will be negligible.

II trimester

The second trimester starts at the 15th week of pregnancy and ends after the 26th. This is the most calm and safe period for both the future baby and his mother. Can I drink coffee during pregnancy during the second trimester? Let's figure it out now.

During this period, the placenta is already formed and fully functioning, it is through it that the child receives part of the caffeine drunk by the woman. What does it threaten? Coffee causes vasoconstriction, which means that the amount of oxygen that crosses the placenta decreases. There is a danger of hypoxia. Another drink provokes the leaching of calcium from the body, and in these weeks the unborn child needs it more than ever, because it happensformation of the skeletal system. Of course, if the pregnancy is easy, there are no deviations or he alth problems, then you can afford to drink a cup of your favorite drink. But better let it be coffee with milk or cappuccino.

Last weeks of pregnancy

The most important thing is to know when to stop. One cup of weak coffee a day will not have irreversible consequences. It is always better to focus on your condition and well-being, as well as adhere to the recommendations of the leading doctor. As in the second trimester, the main threat from coffee is the occurrence of hypoxia. Large doses of caffeine can cause preterm labor and may also prevent the baby from gaining the required weight before being born.

How much coffee can I drink during pregnancy?

As mentioned above, one cup of coffee a day is not capable of harming either the expectant mother or the child. It is desirable that this ritual is not daily. A more accurate answer can be given by a doctor who has been leading you from the first days of pregnancy and is fully acquainted with the state of your body and the history of the development and growth of the fetus.

If you still cannot do without coffee, then it is best to drink it with milk and bite with a hearty sandwich or fragrant bun.

Reason why doctors strongly advise you to completely stop drinking drinks and foods containing caffeine:

• stomach problems;
• systematically elevated blood pressure;
• low hemoglobin level.

But if the pressure is very low, then coffee, on the contrary, will contribute to its normalization and save the woman from unnecessary swelling.

Low pressure

In the early stages of pregnancy, a woman may experience signs of toxicosis and low blood pressure. They may be followed by:

• weakness;
• tinnitus;
• sluggishness;
• nauseous;
• dizzy.

Any of these symptoms can come at the most inopportune moment and take a woman by surprise. In this case, a cup of coffee will be a real salvation. A bout of nausea can put a stop to a hot drink with a slice of lemon.

Strong sweet tea has a similar effect on the body. But in any case, neither should be drunk in large quantities.

Coffee with milk

Coffee during pregnancy is best drunk with milk. Doctors say that women who used such a drink showed no negative changes in the tests. Milk is rich in calcium and other useful substances necessary for a future mother. Thus, it compensates and replenishes the reserves of substances washed out by caffeine. In addition, milk can somewhat slow down the rate of caffeine entry into the blood, and this reduces its negative effect on the uterus and the cardiovascular system.

Therefore, if the question of whether coffee is allowed during pregnancy is acute for you, the answer to it is simple: the drink can and should be consumed in smallquantities and with added milk.

Caffeine free coffee

Most women believe that if caffeine can negatively affect their condition and the he alth of the unborn baby, then decaffeinated coffee will be a great substitute. But this is the deepest delusion. The fact is that in the production of decaffeinated coffee, the grains are subjected to special processing, as a result of which new substances are formed in their composition. They contribute to the formation of atherosclerotic plaques in women, and children may develop a tendency to allergic reactions.

Sometimes, if a woman has consistently high blood pressure during pregnancy, her doctor may recommend decaffeinated coffee in order to reduce this indicator. But the doses given will be very small and limited in quantity.

Instant coffee during pregnancy

Many people don't have time to spend their precious time preparing a natural aromatic hot drink, and they prefer to drink instant coffee or 3-in-1 drinks. I would like to note that in these products the content of coffee beans does not exceed 15% of the total mass, and all other components of the composition are non-natural additives produced by chemical compounds. Of course, it is impossible to declare the categorical harm of drinking this type of coffee drinks, but there will be no benefit from them either.

So while carrying a child, it is better to abstain from such drinking. If you really want to drink a cup of hot, invigorating coffee, then it is better to brew yourself a drink from natural grains. Or ifthere is no such possibility, then visit a cozy and quiet coffee shop. Here you can enjoy not only coffee, but also delicious aromas, an atmosphere of tranquility.

Do not forget that caffeine is found not only in coffee, but also in black and green tea. Therefore, replacing coffee with tea will not work. What then to drink? It is most useful to use chicory during pregnancy. Inulin, which is part of it, contributes to the normalization of the digestive tract and metabolism.