Coffee and pregnancy. Can pregnant women drink coffee?

Black and bitter, but so tasty and aromatic! Coffee has captivated the hearts of many people across the planet. It is of not only gastronomic, but also scientific interest. Scientists around the world have been trying for many years to unravel all the secrets of this mysterious drink, but in vain. Every time coffee discovers something new about itself, it leaves many more mysteries unsolved.

Even the question about the benefits and harms of this drink still remains without a clear answer. It has been reliably established that coffee is both healthy and harmful at the same time. But it’s hard to say which side of the scale weighs. However, hardly anyone would argue that any harm during pregnancy is extremely undesirable, even something as tasty and sometimes healthy as coffee.

If you are used to waking up to a cup aromatic coffee, and not a single meeting of yours - be it business or personal - takes place without coffee, then this news is disappointing for you. From the moment of pregnancy, you should significantly reduce the amount of coffee you drink per day, and to be honest, it is better to completely eliminate it while bearing and feeding the child. And that's why.

How does coffee affect pregnancy?

Everyone knows that coffee has a stimulating effect on the central nervous system. Excessive excitability can have a bad effect on mood, as well as work internal organs and systems. Drinking coffee leads to increased urine output due to accelerated kidney function (and therefore to dehydration), and increases gastric secretion fivefold of hydrochloric acid and twice as much - secretion of the salivary glands, irritates the mucous membrane gastrointestinal tract, increases breathing and heart rate, increases. Coffee removes from the body other microelements it needs (iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium), and not only removes it, but interferes with its absorption.

Undoubtedly, a pregnant woman does not need such influence at all. But what's even more concerning is coffee's ability to affect reproduction. It has been proven that consumption of this drink in large quantities directly related to difficulties in conceiving. More than three cups of coffee a day can act as “contraceptive.” That is why couples planning pregnancy are advised to avoid drinking coffee. This applies to those who are already pregnant in the sense that regular consumption of coffee provokes and, therefore, increases the risk of miscarriage.

We hasten to reassure you that 2-3 or more 150-gram cups of coffee daily have this effect. So if you drink a couple of sips once a week for pleasure, don’t worry too much. However, if you can resist, doctors strongly recommend, then it is better not to drink it at all. And it is difficult to single out the most undesirable weeks or months of pregnancy for this. Some scientists say that you should absolutely not drink coffee in the first trimester, others - after 20 weeks and beyond. And there are studies that prove that the third trimester is especially dangerous in this sense, when the child’s nervous system becomes very sensitive to caffeine. In any case, remember this: like any other liquid that gets inside a pregnant woman, coffee penetrates through the placenta to the baby. At the same time, the placental vessels narrow, making it more difficult for oxygen to reach the fetus (like all nutrients in general), and hence - . In addition, there is evidence that drinking coffee during pregnancy can cause diabetes in the unborn child.

Another not so dangerous, but still undesirable property of coffee during pregnancy is appetite suppression. This is quite filling (especially with cream and sugar), but absolutely not a nutritious drink, because of which a woman may refuse the necessary “normal” food intake.

So, coffee has Negative influence on the health of the woman and the developing fetus, provokes complications during pregnancy and childbirth, and affects the condition of newborn children. Because coffee's metabolism slows down during pregnancy, it circulates in the blood longer and takes longer to act. But what is noteworthy is that not all of the above is caused by the influence of caffeine. Some studies prove that consuming, for example, tea with the same caffeine equivalent does not cause a number of complications. This suggests that other caffeine-containing substances have yet to be studied bad influence per person. Although it should also be taken into account that many women always drink coffee with a cigarette, and this increases all the risks significantly.

Instant coffee during pregnancy

In general, drinking coffee during pregnancy is not so bad, as long as you don’t abuse it. And in some cases it can even be useful, because it also contains substances that have a beneficial effect on our body and its systems. But the same cannot be said about instant coffee - only natural drink from ground grains.

Instant coffee, which many people prefer mainly because of the speed and convenience of its preparation, contains no more than 15% coffee beans, experts say. The rest are chemical components that are used to enrich the future drink after it is processed into a soluble form. One can only guess how much instant coffee is far from natural and does not bring any benefit to a pregnant woman, her child or any person in general. Therefore, it is better to refuse to drink such a drink, regardless of your situation.

Decaf coffee during pregnancy

Exposed chemical treatment and so-called decaffeinated coffee. So-called because, although it is a small dose, such a drink also contains caffeine. However, this substance is not the most dangerous in this case. After all, some teas, Coca-Cola and other drinks contain an order of magnitude more caffeine than black coffee.

In the process of “removing” the invigorating substance from coffee beans, they can be processed, after which they become many times more potentially unsafe for our health. If we talk about future offspring, drinking such coffee can cause the development of allergic reactions in a child, and the formation of atherosclerotic plaques in a mother.

The dangers of decaffeinated coffee have not yet been sufficiently studied, but scientists do not advise anyone to drink it, especially women expecting children. It is better to choose a drink made from chicory root as an alternative to black coffee. If for you it turns out to be an unworthy substitute, then from all types of coffee you should choose only natural ground coffee, drink it freshly brewed and add milk to the drink.

In a word, you can drink coffee during pregnancy. The question is different: is it necessary and what kind of coffee is better to choose, and is it worth the risk for a cup of this controversial drink? Meanwhile, many women use coffee to save themselves from fainting and weakness with very low blood pressure. But in this case, experts recommend brewing natural ground grains, preparing a weak drink and diluting it with milk: you don’t need any more now.

Some facts

  • The alkaloid caffeine (1,3.7trimethylxanthine) is a substance plant origin, which has a stimulating effect on the nervous system.
  • Caffeine is found in tea, coffee, cola, as well as chocolate and cocoa.
  • When a pregnant woman drinks 4 to 7 cups of coffee per day, the risk of fetal death is 33%.
  • British scientists have calculated that consumption of 100 milligrams of caffeine per day during any trimester of pregnancy, which is equivalent to one cup of coffee, leads to an average weight loss of a newborn by 50 grams, and consumption of more than 300 milligrams of caffeine leads to a weight loss of 70 grams. Such “underweight” can affect the health of babies in the first days of life.
  • If it is still difficult to give up, then the amount of caffeine consumed should not exceed 200 milligrams per day, which corresponds to 283 grams of coffee or 700 grams of tea. That is, two cups of coffee a day is the limit.

Especially for- Elena Kichak

Carrying a baby is the most wonderful period in a woman’s life. The expectant mother gives up smoking, alcohol and junk food. Coffee and pregnancy – are they compatible? An invigorating and tonic drink dynamically entered into daily diet modern woman. Find out about its effect on the fetus.

How does coffee affect pregnancy?

Your doctor can tell you in detail about the effect of coffee on pregnancy: it acts differently in each trimester. The special substance it contains is caffeine. It causes a surge of energy in the body, removes headache. Due to their addiction to caffeine, many people are called coffee addicts, because they cannot live without this drink. Their norm is more than 2 servings per day (natural, insoluble surrogate).

Can pregnant women have caffeine? Before answering this exciting question, you need to understand what changes it makes to the body of the fetus and mother. Excessive addiction to caffeine can cause many developmental pathologies in a baby. You can replace your favorite hot cup with strong black tea: a few leaf varieties(not sachets) will have a tonic effect and will help you wake up in the morning.

Direct contraindications to taking caffeine are peptic ulcers and gastritis. But sometimes a fragrant cup is irreplaceable, especially if a woman cannot live or work without it. Just one serving a day of a natural, weak drink with added milk will not harm the baby, but the mother’s performance will increase, her well-being and mood will improve. No exact information taste qualities an analogue to the aromatic and tonic drink has not yet been invented.

Coffee during early pregnancy

It is harmful to drink a lot of coffee early stages pregnancy, this may threaten the malformation of fetal organs. In the first trimester (weeks 1-12), women often suffer from toxicosis. Moderate use espresso in the morning can improve a woman's well-being. Just one cup increases low blood pressure and slightly increases the pulse, and this is a real salvation for hypotensive people.

Is it possible for pregnant women to drink coffee in the early stages? Yes! The main thing is not to overdo it, otherwise you can harm the embryo. In the first trimester, organs are laid down, nervous system, brain. The fetus develops very rapidly and is sensitive to external factors. It takes all the substances its body needs from the mother’s. This must be taken into account when consuming more than 1 serving per day.

Coffee in late pregnancy

From experienced doctors you can hear a sensible explanation of why pregnant women should not drink coffee:

  • It stimulates urination, which can cause dehydration. The third trimester is already marked by frequent trips to the toilet, and overloading a pregnant woman’s kidneys is of no use.
  • Coffee in late pregnancy causes calcium leaching, and this has a detrimental effect on the development of the fetal skeleton.
  • More than 2 servings aromatic drink per day can disrupt the brain activity and heart rate of a small person.

Can pregnant women have coffee with milk?

Drinking coffee with milk during pregnancy will help avoid unpleasant consequences. The benefit of one or two cups is to replenish the body of the fetus and mother with calcium. Main - a large number of milk or cream and a little natural espresso. You can drink latte, cappuccino, macchiato. Please note that milk in these drinks increases the calorie content of a serving.

Ladies may mistakenly believe that instant coffee during pregnancy will not cause much harm, but this is a big misconception. It is better to exclude this surrogate from your diet, impose a categorical ban on it. The soluble granular analogue only causes harm. During production, many chemicals are used and it is additionally enriched with caffeine. Use instant drink will lead to allergic reactions in the baby.

Decaf coffee during pregnancy

Sometimes a woman, closer to the time of birth, may want an Americano or espresso even at night. Worried about their health and the baby, expectant mothers turn their attention to analogues of their favorite drink. There is no decaffeinated coffee for pregnant women, and to obtain such a product as a whole, the beans are treated with a special chemical, which small quantity stays there. You can replace the tonic drink with analogues from chicory root.

Video: is it possible to drink coffee during pregnancy?

The coffee drink will captivate us with its aroma. With its help, we warm up on cool evenings, and wake up in the morning to feel cheerful. However, not everyone is allowed to drink this wonderful drink. Those who are unlucky in this regard include pregnant women and girls who are just about to become mothers. In this article we will tell you in detail how and in what quantity you can drink coffee during pregnancy.

In Russia they learned that such a drink as coffee existed only during the reign of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. Doctors were looking for medicine for him to cure his cold and runny nose, and during their search they discovered coffee. Africans treated it in those days various diseases, Russian doctors followed their example.

Coffee began to be consumed as a drink only during the reign of the great reformer Peter I. Everyone knows that in his policy the reformer relied on Europe, and there they drank coffee every morning. However, it should be noted that the cost of the coffee drink was very high. An ordinary person could not afford the luxury of drinking coffee, which was considered an exotic product.

You and I perceive coffee as a product that everyone should have in their kitchen. However, the study of the benefits and harms of this product has not stopped today. Scientists continue to study how drinking a coffee drink affects a person.

On this moment managed to find out that coffee contains 1200 chemical elements, 1500 mg/l caffeine, theobromine and theophylline. All this suggests that coffee can cause addiction in people. Therefore, many people who are accustomed to drinking coffee can no longer work fully without it; they definitely need to drink a cup of an invigorating drink in order to acquire good mood and good spirits. Only everyone knows that all these positive moments last literally a couple of hours, but the consequences that constant drinking of coffee entails are sad:

  • migraine may occur;
  • sleep will be disturbed;
  • will constantly feel sick;
  • your heart rate will go wrong;
  • shortness of breath will appear;
  • There will be constant disruptions in the functioning of the digestive tract.

All this suggests that coffee drink is quite interesting in composition, but its negative aspects still prevail. Women need to be especially careful with them, because coffee has a particularly strong effect on the body of the fair half of humanity. Scientists of the Institute healthy eating The Russian Academy of Medical Sciences recommend that women planning a pregnancy drink coffee very carefully - they are allowed to drink no more than two cups per day - this is approximately 200 ml.

Researchers have every reason to believe that coffee, if consumed in excessive quantities, has a very negative effect on a woman's ability to become a mother. What happens due to the influence of caffeine:

  • fertility decreases by as much as 25%;
  • the fallopian tubes contract less actively;
  • hormone function is disrupted;
  • ovulation practically does not occur (if the ovulatory phase does occur, then the egg after fertilization cannot attach normally to the wall of the uterus).

Of course, there were scientists who refuted all these arguments. They are convinced that coffee cannot in any way negatively affect the ability to successful conception child. Every woman planning to become a mother must decide for herself which point of view she adheres to more. It is much more important to know how coffee affects pregnancy , if the gynecologist has successfully diagnosed it for you.

Is it possible to drink coffee during pregnancy: arguments “Pros” and “Cons”

Every woman who finds out that she will soon become a mother will definitely begin to wonder what is best for her to eat and how to behave so as not to harm the child. After all, the main task of every expectant mother is to ensure that the baby develops fully, is strong and healthy. To do this, you must, of course, change your lifestyle and adjust your diet. Of course, you also need to get rid of bad habits, if you have any.

Some researchers believe that drinking coffee is also bad habit, but is this really so? Should an expectant mother completely deny herself the pleasure of drinking coffee?

  1. Arguments “For”: you can drink coffee:
  • Scientists from Denmark are confident that an expectant mother can drink coffee as much as she wants. Don't limit yourself. They conducted a study that involved more than 100 women. As a result of the experiment, it was found that during pregnancy you can drink 3 cups of coffee a day without fear that this may somehow negatively affect the health of the child. The only thing is that in the early stages of pregnancy it is better to drink very weak coffee, diluted with dairy products (you can dilute it with either condensed milk or dry milk mixture);
  • you can only drink natural coffe with milk during pregnancy. It is better to avoid the one that is sold in pre-packaged bags in the store, because there is nothing good in it. Instant coffee during pregnancy is strictly prohibited, because in addition to chemicals and various food additives, there is nothing valuable. This coffee is harmful not only to a pregnant woman, but to every person in general.
  1. Arguments “Against”: you can’t drink coffee:
  • Scientists from Norway are convinced that you should absolutely not drink coffee during pregnancy, and they explain why. They conducted a study in which expectant mothers took part. They were encouraged to drink coffee throughout their pregnancy. As a result, it was found that due to the consumption of coffee in any quantity, a child can be born with a low weight, because his body will be forced to process caffeine in the womb, and this is a very heavy load, which can only be dealt with by sacrificing weight;
  • Expectant mothers who start actively drinking coffee in the second trimester of pregnancy often carry their children to term, and this is the reason why the child can develop numerous diseases as a result. But if you abuse coffee at the very beginning of pregnancy, then there is a high probability of miscarriage, the child may freeze in the womb;
  • Some pregnant women try to replace their favorite coffee drink with another coffee during pregnancy - decaffeinated. They mistakenly believe, according to the Norwegians, that such coffee is harmless. However, research results prove the opposite. Decaffeinated coffee is extremely dangerous because it contains processed chemical substances. They can cause an allergic reaction in a baby and atherosclerotic plaques on the blood vessels of a pregnant woman.

What can a pregnant woman replace coffee with?

Modern doctors advise expectant mothers to replace coffee with other invigorating drinks. These include:

  1. Pure spring water - a pregnant woman can drink it in unlimited quantities throughout the day. But only if she does not have pathologies associated with the functioning of the kidneys and urinary system.
  2. Freshly squeezed vegetables and fruit juices. But they should be such that they do not irritate the mucous membranes of the stomach and intestines, and also do not provoke the occurrence of unwanted flatulence and bloating.
  3. Herbal teas. However, they must be prepared from natural plants. Herbal teas sold in pharmacies and stores are not suitable. Just use them with caution; it is better to consult a gynecologist on this issue, because some herbal decoctions can negatively affect endocrine system women, and this will only complicate the process of bearing a child.

We recommend that pregnant women still listen to the opinions of the experts we discussed in this article and drink coffee, if they really want it, in limited quantities. Ideally, give it up completely at least for a while while you are carrying your baby and breastfeeding him.

Video: “The effect of coffee on pregnancy”

Several cups of coffee throughout the day are common for many women. However, during pregnancy, lovers of an invigorating drink face an acute question: can pregnant women drink coffee?

To the question “Can pregnant women drink coffee?” Olga Perevalova, nutritionist at the Rimmarita Medical Center, answers.

You can drink coffee during pregnancy, but not everyone. Women who have low blood pressure, have difficulty waking up in the morning and are used to drinking coffee in the morning can and should drink it. But, firstly, it is better to drink coffee not on an empty stomach, secondly, it should be lightened in caffeine (for example, instant or granulated, since it contains less caffeine) and, thirdly, with milk.

Adding milk to coffee is especially important for a pregnant woman. The fact is that coffee, like tea, helps wash calcium out of bones. And during pregnancy, women already lose a lot of calcium for the growth of the child’s skeleton. Calcium must enter the body with food, so in the diet expectant mother There should be a lot of dairy products, cottage cheese, fish, nuts, vegetables, cheese. If a pregnant woman does not eat enough of these foods, calcium will migrate from the mother's body to the baby. This is a high risk of early development of osteoporosis.

Now this problem is especially noticeable, since many girls eat poorly, go on diets, are afraid of gaining weight and try to fit in with glossy models. This worries us doctors a lot. In the future, such women doom themselves to osteoporosis, fractures, bone pain, poor metabolism, wrinkles, and low immunity. Therefore, it is very important to remember that the calcium reserve is formed until about 30 years of age, and then calcium is only consumed, approximately 1% per year, that is, by the age of 40 there will be 10% less calcium, and by 50 – 20% less. The best prevention Such a consequence is a dairy diet up to 25-30 years.

So, the expectant mother should drink coffee with milk or cream to compensate for the loss of calcium.

Here are a few more nuances of drinking coffee during pregnancy:

How many cups of coffee can a pregnant woman afford? One, maximum 3 cups a day and, most importantly, not at night.

Coffee also has a diuretic effect. Therefore the drink suitable for those those who experience edema due to low blood pressure.

If pregnancy is accompanied by cramps, headaches, nausea and vomiting, then you should abstain from coffee.

For gastritis with increased acidity or peptic ulcer coffee is contraindicated because it increases the acidity of gastric juice, especially on an empty stomach.

Coffee contains caffestol, a substance that increases cholesterol levels if you drink up to 5-6 cups of coffee a day. This is relevant for women after 35-40 years.

Advice: Replace coffee with chicory or cocoa - these drinks are high in calcium and vegetable protein, so they are considered healthier than coffee.

Many people are accustomed to getting a boost of energy from various tonic drinks. First among them is coffee. Some drink one cup of this drink only in the morning to “wake up”, and some drink more than three per day. Various experts talk a lot about the benefits and harms of coffee. We will consider particularly delicate questions about why you should not drink coffee during pregnancy, under what conditions your favorite drink is allowed and how much.

The effect of coffee on the body of a pregnant woman

The first change in the body of the expectant mother that this drink causes is an increase in blood pressure and acceleration of heart rate. This, in turn, leads to an increase in tone blood vessels, including the uterus. Thus, high blood pressure may provoke

Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system. If a pregnant woman has problems falling asleep, then use invigorating drinks may make the situation worse. Please note that tea (both black and tea) also contains caffeine, so its effect is similar.

Many pregnant women face the problem of heartburn during pregnancy. Coffee and tea increase stomach acidity, thereby provoking even more of its manifestations.

Calcium is also washed out of the bones. This occurs due to the fact that coffee removes fluid from the body, and with it such a necessary element. In addition, there is an additional burden on the kidneys.

Some people like to drink coffee with milk and believe that it is less harmful to the body. Let's think about what the difference is. Regardless of what you dilute with: water or milk, the amount of caffeine will not decrease, which means the effect on the body will be the same. Make no mistake about green and decaffeinated coffee. They also contain caffeine.

Let's think not only about the mother, but also about the baby. After all, the child receives most of the substances from the mother’s body. Including caffeine. This means that there is overexcitation of the nervous system, an increase in blood pressure, and leaching of calcium from the bones (and the baby especially needs it now). Caffeine affects blood vessels, narrows them, which means the child will receive less oxygen and nutrients. necessary substances. If this happens in an isolated case, then the body will cope, but if mom drinks coffee and strong tea several times a day, irreversible processes may occur. Therefore, before drinking another cup of your favorite drink, doctors recommend thinking about possible consequences and make a decision with full responsibility.

When answering the question of how often pregnant women can drink coffee without harming their health, experts disagree. Some say it should be one cup a week, others allow up to three cups a day, just not in a row.

Some people wonder whether it is possible to drink instant coffee more often. Indeed, it contains less caffeine, but many impurities that are harmful to the expectant mother and child. Therefore, preference should be given to natural products.

If you like to start your morning with coffee or tea, and you still want invigorating hot drinks at the beginning of the day, there is a way out - replace them with others. Pregnant women can and even need to brew and drink fruit and herbal teas. Just be sure to pay attention to what components are included in such tea and read about each of them so that there are no contraindications or overdose for your situation. Juices and compotes are also shown.

Now you know why pregnant women should not drink coffee and strong tea, even with milk. And then it’s up to you to decide what’s more important: satisfying your immediate desires or caring for the health of your unborn baby.