Dr. Mercola January 03 2009 21,023 views
A new study shows that one dose of caffeine -- just two cups of coffee -- ingested during pregnancy may be enough to affect fetal heart development and reduce heart function over the entire lifespan of the child.
In addition, the researchers also found that this minimal amount of exposure can lead to higher body fat among males. Although the study was in mice, the biological cause and effect described in the research paper likely applies to humans as well.
Researchers studied pregnant mice for 48 hours. Mice given caffeine produced embryos with a thinner layer of tissue separating some of the heart's chambers.
The researchers then examined the mice born from these groups to determine the long-term effects on the offspring. All of the adult males exposed to caffeine as fetuses had an increase in body fat of about 20 percent, and decrease in cardiac function of 35 percent.
I’ve been warning of the dangers of caffeine to pregnant women for years.
Amidst the ever changing, often conflicting information about what constitutes a “safe” amount of caffeine for expectant mothers, it has always been my position that no amount of caffeine during pregnancy is safe.
As this study points out – and this is a significant finding for mainstream research – the equivalent of just two cups of coffee during pregnancy may affect your child’s heart function, and if your baby is male, could also lead to a weight problem.
Take note. That’s the equivalent of two cups of coffee during the entire pregnancy – not two cups of coffee per day.
How Caffeine Affects Your Unborn Baby
Caffeine is an addictive, stimulant drug that passes easily through the placenta to the developing fetus. It is also transferred through breast milk.
In babies (newborns and unborn), the half-life of caffeine is extended. It stays in your baby longer, and a developing fetus has no ability to detoxify caffeine.
Research has shown that ingesting caffeine during pregnancy can result in a wide range of problems for you and your baby, including:
Coffee and Pesticides
Another good reason to eliminate caffeine while pregnant is the fact that coffee crops grown outside the U.S. are heavily sprayed with pesticides.
Pesticides have been linked to a host of health problems, including miscarriages and stillbirths.
Caffeine Sources
Caffeine can be found in a variety of drinks, food, and medications. Common sources of caffeine:
Coffee (even decaf coffee contains a few milligrams of caffeine)
Another Food to Avoid During Pregnancy -- Soy
Soy products are a serious hazard and you should avoid them while pregnant and breastfeeding.
Soybeans contain compounds called phytoestrogens that act on hormones. These hormones affect the way your baby’s brain is organized, development of reproductive organs, and even your child’s immune system.
Infants who receive excess amounts of phytoestrogens in the womb or after birth from soy formula, risk health problems as wide ranging as early puberty, learning and behavioral problems, and severe allergies.
If you’d like to learn more about the dangers of soy, including how it affects fertility and fetal development, I recommend you read The Whole Soy Story by Kaayla Daniel.
More Tips for a Healthy Pregnancy
As with any success in life, a healthy pregnancy requires planning and preparation.
If you are in good physical condition before you start or grow your family, you’ll greatly improve your chances of a healthy pregnancy and delivery. You’ll also give your child the best opportunity for a strong start in life.
Given the high rate of heart disease in the western world, I think it is worth looking into what we can do to help our children avoid it in their future.
Just because our children make it to adulthood and seem healthy, doesn't mean they can't get sick in their later years, perhaps well after we've left this world. A thinner tissue in the heart during fetal development may not ever show up until the "child" is 39 years old and drops dead of a heart attack while running a marathon.
We can't produce perfect babies, or environments in which to raise them, anymore than we can escape death ourselves. However everything we learn about creating "healthier" babies, can help them live longer, healthier lives. I don't believe in going crazy about everything that we can worry about as parents, but we are obligated to do our personal best with what we know (and believe) to give our kids the longest, healthiest life within our abilities.
As a medical student, and someone who has MVP (Mitral valve prolapse)...I believe that the Doc is on to something. It may not be just caffeine that harms heart valves, such as the mitral, etc. Caffeinated drinks are DIARETICS: this translates in to excessive loss of MAGNESIUM....this is what they now believes keeps the valve collagenous tissue thick, and importantly, closed so there is no regurgitation of blood. Diaretics seriously harm the development of the heart valves of babies in the womb. We must really thank Dr. Mercola for staying on top of new health info, even if he recommended some things earlier, such as Cod Liver oil....now seen as creating toxic Vit. A levels. Wish allopathic doctors would keep up on research, and, admit when they have been wrong or have discovered new research which changes old info. Thank Heavens for Dr. Mercola...he really cares to keep up with research, because he cares about all of us....and the unborn of the future!
I agree that caffeine and pregnancy don't mix. But back when I was making my four babies, who knew? I was a coffee drinker and [gasp] a smoker. Low birth weight was never a problem (ask my 10-pound baby!) All four are healthy adults, and my two boys have their father's tall lean physique.
P.S. I limit myself to one cup of java a day, and I've been smoke-free for over two years.
I have four children, and I smoked through my first two pregnancies, although I did cut back, and I quit before the second two. And I drank coffee. And I had an occasional glass of wine. The first two babies weighed a little over 7 pounds each, but the ones post-smoking were 8 1/2 and 11 pounds. They're all grown now and are in good health. I breast-fed, but I also drank my coffee! I think it's very important to protect the health of our babies, both before and after they're born. But with all the toxins and crap in our water, food, and air, I think depriving a pregnant woman of a cup or two of coffee (a day, by God!) is going overboard.
Islander-
I think you lucked out! I think that women today have less luck because their bodies are not as strong... fewer nutrients on the food, more toxins in the air and water, etc. It is almost like each generation in the modern world gets weaker. It is possible your daughters might not be able do the same and still have healthy babies. ?
This is very true. While in my 2nd pregnancy (around 1993) it was an extremely hot day. I started drinking a 32oz glass of iced tea and sipped it all day. Woke up at 1am with contractions (I was in the 7th month). I was dehydrated because of the caffeine and thus went into early labor. Spent the rest of the pregnancy on bed rest and she was born 2 weeks early. I think caffeine is much more dangerous than the FDA lets on.
Osoozzq, nearly the same thing happened to me. The water where we lived tasted really bad, so I nearly lived on diet coke and coffee for the entire pregnancy. Ended up with an emergancy c-section at 33wks due to a placental abruption. I was very dehydrated and the whole time period was pretty rough on all of us. William survived and is now in college, but he does have problems with ADHD and some minor health issues. By the grace of God, hopefully his offspring will not suffer through my stupidity as a young person.
I think that is key for all those who think, "well I did this and everything is fine". Problems and issues may be extemely cummulative; our decendants may end up paying a very large price for our lack of concern over health and environment.
hmmmmmmm..... I had 3 ten pound babies who were and still are in perfect health. (Now adults) I ate chocolate like crazy and was addicted to diet coke. Sad to say, but I am so blessed that they are okay. I had no idea back then what I ingested could affect them like that. I stopped smoking and did not drink alcohol or take drugs, but chocolate was my "drug".
Back in my child-bearing days, a doctor wouldn't see you until you were 3 months along - I think it was due to the inaccuracy of the test if administered any sooner than that. However, I always knew the minute I became pregnant because I could no longer stand the smell of coffee, let alone drink it! And I loved coffee!
I think it's amazing that my body protected my four children from something we had not yet learned was a hazard to the newly forming babies.