Caffeine intake influences miscarriage risk, Experts warn

Over the last couple of years, more experts than ever before have been actively encouraging the public in general to drink more coffee. From improved natural defenses to a variety of cognitive benefits and so much more besides, it began to seem as if there was absolutely nothing about the black stuff that wasn’t hugely beneficial.


However, the results of a new study suggest that in the weeks leading up to conception, the likelihood of the pregnant women miscarrying can be adversely affected by caffeine consumption. Importantly, researchers found that miscarriage risk was elevated if either the man or the women consumed two or more caffeinated drinks daily, in the immediate weeks prior to conception.



“There’s something about drinking caffeinated beverages that is associated with pregnancy loss,” said Germaine Buck Louis of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, who led the study.

The same study also highlighted an apparent link between caffeine consumption during the first seven weeks of pregnancy and the respective likelihood of miscarrying. While this is not the first study to link caffeine intake with miscarriage risk, prior research has focused only on the effects of the woman’s caffeine consumption, as opposed to the man.

In terms of miscarriage prevention, the authors found that when a multivitamin was taken every day by the woman both before conception and during early pregnancy, the likelihood of miscarriage decreased significantly. But while evidence continues to suggest there is a link between caffeine consumption and miscarriage risk, experts insist that no outright conclusions can yet be drawn.

In addition, exactly why caffeine has any effect whatsoever on miscarriage likelihood remains unknown. Scientists speculate that it could have something to do with how caffeine affects sperm and eggs at a genetic level, though this is yet to be studied in any real depth.

“Our findings provide useful information for couples who are planning a pregnancy and who would like to minimize their risk for early pregnancy loss,” Louis added.

“Our findings also indicate that the male partner matters, too,”

“Male preconception consumption of caffeinated beverages was just as strongly associated with pregnancy loss as females.”


Source: Modernreaders.com