A new study has found women who consumed more than 200 milligrams of caffeine a day during the first trimester of pregnancy doubled their risk of miscarriage. The study appearing in this month's American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology looked at 1, 063 pregnant women during a two-year period. Researchers found participants who drank caffeine increased their risk of miscarriage by 25 percent compared to the 12 percent risk among participants who avoided caffeine during the first three months of pregnancy.
How does caffeine affect the developing fetus? Possibly by restricting the flow of blood to the placenta, says De-Kun Li, co-author of the new study. Or it could be a result of the caffeine interfering with the normal function of cells.
Although, the relationship between drinking caffeine and miscarriages may be still be controversial, women may be surprised to find out how little 200 milligram is, says the study. Because an 12-ounce cup of coffee equivalent to Starbuck's regular "tall" coffee has 260 mg of caffeine.
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