From the earlier days onwards there had been an agreement that pregnant women must avoid food materials containing caffeine. But after lots of conflict and controversy in this issue there still are no pleasing results on this argument.

Some researchers have recommended pregnant women to limit caffeine to less than 250 mg a day. This conclusion is a result of a census published by a famous magazine. They found that those women who consume more than 300 mg of caffeine a day had more risk of miscarriage when compared to those who have no caffeine. Anyway you are not going to get any opposition from your family if you stop drinking coffee.

Now let’s check if there is any other risk other than miscarriages. Caffeine can cause blood vessels to contract and thus reducing the blood flow in appropriate proportions. And therefore the baby’s developing cells become easily affected by caffeine. Studies have found that high consumption of coffee in pregnant women have reduced the weight of their baby. Other studies show that babies of women with consumption of coffee higher than 300 mg per day give birth to babies with faster breathing and heart rates. Caffeine, being a stimulant raises heart rate and increases blood pressure. This can make us feel much tensed unknowingly. Caffeine also causes insomnia (inability to sleep/ chronic sleeplessness). Sometimes it’s found to cause heart burn. This occurs by stimulating the secretion of acids in stomach.

Another reason to avoid caffeine food materials is that it contains compounds that make it harder for your body to absorb iron. Normally pregnant women have deficiency of iron. Consumption of coffee will reduce the iron level. Take care while consuming caffeine drinks, chocolate, coffee ice cream, tea, energy drinks etc (all these have large caffeine content).