High Caffeine Intake During Pregnancy Increases Risk for Miscarriage

High caffeine consumption early in pregnancy increases risk for miscarriage, according to a study in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Roughly 1000 women in the San Francisco area completed interviews at a median 71 days' gestation about the type and amount of caffeine they consumed. After adjusting for potential demographic and lifestyle confounders, as well as nausea and vomiting, researchers found that women who consumed 200 mg of caffeine or more (e.g., 10 oz. or more of coffee or five 12-oz. cans of caffeinated soft drinks) daily had more than double the risk for miscarriage by 20 weeks' gestation (hazard ratio, 2.23).

The authors conclude that "it may be prudent to stop or reduce caffeine intake during pregnancy."

source:

American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology early-release page