Volume: 3, 2024
3rd International PhD Student’s Conference at the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland:
ENVIRONMENT – PLANT – ANIMAL – PRODUCT
Abstract number: H018
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24326/ICDSUPL3.H018
Published online: 24 April 2024
ICDSUPL, 3, H018 (2024)
Caffeine and a pregnant woman’s diet
Paula Grdeń1*, Adam Grdeń2, 3, Anna Jakubczyk1
1 Department of Biochemistry and Food Chemistry, Faculty of Food Science and Biotechnology, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Skromna 8, 20-704 Lublin, Poland
2 Sub-Department of Dairy Technology and Functional Food, Faculty of Food Science and Biotechnology, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Skromna 8, 20-704 Lublin, Poland
3 Department of Dietetics and Bioanalitics, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Medical University in Lublin, Chodźki 7, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
* Corresponding author: paula.grden95@gmail.com
Abstract
Nutrition during pregnancy, for the health of the mother and child, requires both restriction and exclusion of certain foods and the compounds they contain. One of these is caffeine, the supply of which is controversial. Caffeine is contained in coffee, guarana and cola beans. Well, caffeine has the ability to cross the placenta into the bloodstream of the fetus, whose internal organs including the liver are unable to metabolize it in its entirety. In such a situation, the transport of nutrients may be reduced and the risk of premature birth and miscarriage may increase. The World Health Organization recommends limiting caffeine intake during pregnancy to a maximum of 300 mg per day. In contrast, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) said that maternal consumption of up to 200 mg of caffeine per day “does not affect fetal safety,” and the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) recommends pregnant women “limit” their daily intake to 200 mg. Due to conflicting information on the permissible dose of caffeine consumption during pregnancy, a review of the available scientific literature was conducted with the aim of determining the safe dose of caffeine for pregnant women. Scientific reports on the subject are not homogeneous, however, they confirm the association between caffeine consumption and low birth weight, miscarriage or heart defects. The results of one meta-analysis are surprising, as it turns out that just one cup of coffee during pregnancy increases the risk of pregnancy loss by 3% and 100 mg of caffeine per day by as much as 14–26%. Due to the heterogeneity of results regarding caffeine consumption during pregnancy, it is hard to determine the minimum safe dose. However, due to new scientific reports, it seems reasonable to minimize products with caffeine intake and refrain from coffee during pregnancy.
Keywords: caffeine, diet, pregnant
How to cite
P. Grdeń, A. Grdeń, A. Jakubczyk, 2024. Caffeine and a pregnant woman’s diet. In: 3rd International PhD Student’s Conference at the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland: Environment – Plant – Animal – Product. https://doi.org/10.24326/ICDSUPL3.H018