Caffeine Use Can Double Miscarriage Risk

Studies have been done in the past that have associated caffeine usage with an increased incidence of miscarriage, and a report released in the latest issue of a major OB/GYN journal gives more fuel to the fire. While the effects of coffee have been specifically researched in many previous studies, this one is a bit unique in that it focuses on the dangers of caffeine from any source.

As the article below states, caffeine is clearly the most abused drug in the world. The availability of coffee and other highly caffeinated soft drinks, especially those that are marketed as energy drinks, has exploded over the last decade or so. Shameful exploitation of young people is the standard for the caffeine industry, and energy drinks are made to look and even taste like alcohol in order to entice kids to consume them. I have also noticed that these beverages are often displayed in stores alongside alcoholic beverages instead of with the soft drinks.

The study states that women who are pregnant and even those who are in the preconception stage should limit caffeine intake to 200 mg. per day or less. One of the problems with trying to gauge how much caffeine one is taking in is that coffees and other drinks have widely ranging levels of caffeine in them, and it seems the high-octane versions are the most popular. In addition, 7.5 ounces ( a cup ) of coffee is about half the amount in the smallest sizes available at most take-out coffee establishments.

Obviously, due to the caffeine and other toxins present in coffee and soft drinks, it is much better to avoid them altogether, especially while pregnant. Risk for miscarriage may be further reduced by the use of a natural USP Progesterone cream that boosts progesterone levels during pregnancy. If you must have that coffee fix you may want to try a caffeine-free, herbal coffee called Teeccino at teeccino.com. It comes in several flavors and is a blend of herbs, grains, fruits and nuts (contains no coffee beans) and delivers nutritious health benefits and a natural energy boost.


Once Again, Caffeine Linked to Miscarriage
By Serena Gordon
HealthDay Reporter
Mon Jan 21, 11:47 PM ET

MONDAY, Jan. 21 (HealthDay News) -- Caffeine consumption by pregnant women can increase the risk of miscarriage, a new study reports.

And, it doesn't matter if the caffeine comes from coffee, tea, soda or hot chocolate. What does matter is the amount -- the study found that when women drink more than 200 milligrams of caffeine daily, the risk of miscarriage increases twofold.

"What we found was that if women have heavy caffeine intake -- greater than 200 milligrams a day -- they have double the risk of miscarriage than women that don't have any caffeine," said one of the study's authors, Dr. De-Kun Li, a reproductive and perinatal epidemiologist in the division of research at Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, Calif.

Results of the study were published online in the January issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Caffeine, the most frequently consumed drug in the world, crosses the placental barrier and reaches the developing fetus, according to the study. While previous studies have found an association between caffeine intake and miscarriage, it hadn't been clear whether the problem was due to the caffeine or another substance in coffee, or if it had something to do with non-coffee drinkers' lifestyles -- perhaps people who didn't drink coffee ate more fruits and vegetables, for example.

For the new study, the researchers looked at 1,063 women from the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program in San Francisco; they were interviewed at an average of 10 weeks' gestation.
During the study period, 16 percent of the women -- 172 -- had miscarriages.

The researchers found that 25 percent of the women who miscarried reported consuming no caffeine during their pregnancy. Another 60 percent said they had up to 200 milligrams of caffeine daily, and 15 percent regularly consumed more than 200 milligrams of caffeine each day.

In addition to asking about caffeine intake, the researchers also assessed the other known risk factors for miscarriage, such as smoking, a history of previous miscarriage, alcohol use and more. The researchers also compensated for nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.

"If you have a low risk of miscarriage, the effect of caffeine tends to show more," said Li.

Li said that even among women who drank less than 200 milligrams of caffeine a day, the study found a 40 percent increased risk of miscarriage, but this finding didn't reach the level of statistical significance.

"Women shouldn't drink more than two regular cups of coffee a day, and hopefully they stop drinking totally for at least the first three months. It's not a permanent stop. If they really have to drink, limit the amount to one or two cups -- a regular cup is about seven and half ounces," Li said.

But, not every doctor is convinced that there's a direct cause-and-effect relationship between caffeine and miscarriage.

"The problem with this study is that when people miscarry, a large percentage of those miscarriages are due to genetic abnormalities, and the researchers didn't say whether these were normal or abnormal fetuses," said Dr. Laura Corio, an obstetrician and gynecologist at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City.

"Women are always worrying and wondering, 'What did I do?' Before we say a woman drank too much caffeine and that's why she had a miscarriage, let's see if it was an abnormal or normal pregnancy, said Corio.

"I think about 60 to 80 percent of miscarriages are due to genetic abnormalities," she added.

That said, however, Corio does advise her pregnant patients to limit caffeine consumption.
"Women have a responsibility to the fetus -- no cigarettes, no alcohol and just one cup of coffee a day," she said, noting that many store-bought cups of coffee contain far too much caffeine, so a woman has to be aware of how much caffeine is in her favorite coffee.

"Have less than 200 milligrams a day," no matter what the source -- coffee, tea, cola, chocolate, etcetera, Corio advised. She said caffeine has also been linked to low birth weights and smaller head circumferences.

Li also advised limiting caffeine to less than 200 milligrams a day, especially in the early months of pregnancy and in the preconception period.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20080122/hl_hsn/onceagaincaffeinelinkedtomiscarriage&printer=1;_ylt=Apu8CFblceXOoDykbl._SxW9j7AB