How does coffee affect pregnant women? Fighting caffeine addiction. When do you need to give up coffee completely?

Many women simply cannot imagine their life without coffee doping. For coffee lovers, a morning without coffee is “not good,” and a day without an aromatic cup of Espresso will be a waste. But with the appearance of a baby in the tummy, mothers begin to think about the effect of this alluring drink on the baby.

Is it harmful to drink coffee during pregnancy?

Coffee beans contain many chemical components, the main one being caffeine. With prolonged consumption of coffee in large quantities, a person develops an addiction similar to alcohol. Therefore, if a woman drank coffee before pregnancy, then when the coveted two lines appear on the test, she should not suddenly stop drinking her favorite drink. This must be done gradually, reducing the amount of coffee you drink per day. The optimal dose is no more than one cup of weak coffee per day, preferably diluted with milk.

Although it is believed that drinking coffee in small quantities during pregnancy cannot harm the unborn child, it is still recommended to completely abandon this drink while pregnant. After all, caffeine can penetrate the placenta, causing an increase in the fetal heart rate, and it can also reduce blood flow to the placenta, which increases the risk of developing anemia and fetal hypoxia.

Coffee has a strong diuretic effect on the pregnant woman herself, so it is necessary to replenish fluid loss by drinking at least 1.5 liters of pure water without gas per day. In addition, constant consumption of coffee provokes the occurrence of urolithiasis, and also contributes to the leaching of beneficial microelements and vitamins from a woman’s body. Coffee also causes heartburn and abdominal discomfort for many.

But how can you refuse aromatic coffee? It invigorates, increases attention and productivity, improves mood. Caffeine is effective for some types of headaches and enhances the effect of some painkillers.

But despite this, drinking coffee in large quantities (6-7 cups per day or more) in the early stages increases the risk of miscarriages, and in the later stages - premature birth, as well as the birth of children with low body weight. Therefore, drinking coffee during pregnancy more than one cup a day and more than 3 times a week is not recommended.

In addition to all that has been said, coffee should be naturally ground and freshly brewed, and it is better to dilute it with milk or cream.

Chicory instead of coffee during pregnancy: what are the benefits and what are the contraindications?

Chicory cannot be called a complete substitute for coffee, although these two drinks are similar in taste and color. But during pregnancy, it is preferable to drink a chicory drink than strong coffee in the morning.

Chicory is rich in B vitamins (B1, B2, B3), vitamin C, pectin, carotene, microelements (potassium, calcium, sodium, magnesium, iron and others), as well as inulin, proteins, organic acids and tannins. It does not contain caffeine, which means that chicory drink can be drunk by people with high blood pressure and arrhythmia.

It promotes:

• improving metabolism and cleansing the body of toxins and other harmful substances, thereby helping the liver;
• normalizing the functioning of the intestines and stomach, reducing constipation and relieving heartburn and nausea, which is especially important during pregnancy;
• reduces the load on the heart (which is important during pregnancy, because with the appearance of a belly, the volume of blood in a woman’s body increases and the load on the heart increases);
• strengthening the walls of blood vessels, purifying the blood and increasing hemoglobin, which is important for anemia in pregnant women.

Chicory is also useful for congestive diseases of the kidneys and gall bladder, because it has a diuretic and choleretic effect.

For colds, a drink made from soluble chicory relieves heat and inflammation, suppresses the development of bacteria and increases the patient's immunity. But if you have a bronchial cough (including asthma), drinking chicory is not recommended, as it can worsen the cough.

During pregnancy, chicory is an effective tonic. Chicory also acts as a mild sedative, calming the nervous system after experiences, thereby improving mood.

Pregnant women with diabetes can drink chicory without fear, because it reduces blood sugar levels. In addition, chicory root has a sweetish taste, so there is no need to sweeten the drink with a sweetener, which is also good when fighting excess weight.

During pregnancy, you should not abuse chicory drink unless directed by a doctor. It is recommended to drink this drink no more than 2 times a day. You can add milk to it, so the drink will be even healthier and tastier. In addition, people with lactose intolerance do not experience discomfort after taking chicory with milk. This is due to the fact that chicory prevents milk from curdling in the stomach.

Taking a drink from chicory root is contraindicated for pregnant women with varicose veins, as well as for hemorrhoids. This is due to the vasodilating effect of chicory.

If there is a threat of miscarriage, bleeding, pain in the lower abdomen, shortening of the cervix, placenta previa, it is not recommended to drink chicory, as it can aggravate the situation. But if the pregnancy is progressing normally, then periodically taking a chicory drink will not harm.

Pregnant women who are allergic to the herb, as well as the vitamin C it contains, should also be wary of chicory.

For gastritis, stomach and duodenal ulcers, chicory is also not recommended, because it causes an increase in appetite due to the secretion of gastric juice, which irritates the damaged mucous membrane of the patient’s gastrointestinal tract.

Pregnant coffee drinkers with gastritis who cannot resist a cup of this drink are still better off giving preference to chicory, but “soften” it with milk (can be condensed) or a scoop of ice cream and not drink it on an empty stomach.

In addition to all that has been said, chicory improves appetite, and excess weight during pregnancy is not welcome, so watch your diet and do not overeat.

Look for brands that say "100% natural chicory extract." Please note that the presence of artificial sweeteners and colors, as well as industrial fortification with vitamins, is NOT welcome.

A good product is, for example, Instant chicory with blueberries TM “Golden Root” (Russia) or TM “Galka” (Ukraine). You can also buy “pure” chicory (without added fruits and berries), but if you don’t like bitterness, then it’s still better to buy chicory with natural additives, which makes the taste softer.

A tasty and aromatic drink is also obtained from soluble chicory with extracts of green tea and chamomile TM “Elite Health Line” (Russia).

Coffee is exactly the drink that never ceases to disturb the minds of scientists. Until now, no definite answer has been received about its harm or benefit to the human body. It is known for certain that even a small cup of this aromatic drink can increase performance significantly. But all this is in ordinary life. Can the expectant mother have coffee? After all, expecting a baby is a completely unique state when the birth and then the formation of a new life occurs. So, coffee during pregnancy: a categorical “no” or still a “yes”?

The effect of coffee on pregnancy

I would like to immediately upset the “coffee lovers”. If you cannot imagine yourself without morning coffee, then you will have to limit yourself to one cup a day. Ideally, the drink should be completely excluded from the diet, not only during pregnancy, but also during breastfeeding.

Everyone knows perfectly well that coffee is an excellent energy drink that perfectly tones the human nervous system. But this is exactly what a pregnant woman does not need! The expectant mother should have the opportunity to get proper rest, since lack of sleep affects both her mood and the functioning of all body systems.

Coffee during pregnancy – 1st trimester

Many people continue to drink coffee in the 1st trimester of pregnancy, assuring themselves that “while they can.” But in fact, even at this time, its use is undesirable. The drink speeds up the work of the kidneys, which causes increased urination. Even a small cup can increase gastric secretion and increase salivation. Agree, not very pleasant manifestations. And if we add to this early toxicosis, which is characterized by increased salivation, then the picture turns out to be completely bleak.

Quite often, coffee is drunk to increase low blood pressure, but this is not relevant for expectant mothers. High blood pressure can cause various unpleasant conditions, in particular, rapid heartbeat.

Coffee depletes the body, promoting the excretion of calcium and iron, as well as some other useful substances, and also does not allow them to be fully absorbed. But for a pregnant woman, such “help” is completely inappropriate.

Due to the excellent tonic qualities for which coffee is so loved by many, it can provoke increased uterine tone, increasing the risk of miscarriage. But don’t be too scared: only daily consumption of more than 2 cups of coffee can lead to this. And if the body protests, demanding a cup of drink, a couple of sips will not do any harm. It is better, of course, to drink weak coffee and dilute it with milk.

Coffee during pregnancy – 2nd trimester

Drinking coffee during pregnancy in the 2nd trimester (although this is the most “calm” period of pregnancy) is also undesirable. You already know that the drink promotes the excretion of many useful substances, and calcium is one of them. But it is in the second trimester of gestation that the active growth of the child’s skeletal bones begins, and calcium is simply vital for the baby. Therefore, many women who abuse coffee give birth to children with various bone abnormalities.

Coffee during pregnancy – 3rd trimester

In general, it is very difficult to identify certain weeks of pregnancy when drinking the drink is extremely undesirable. But doctors are unanimous in one opinion: coffee during pregnancy in the 3rd trimester does the most harm. In the last three months of gestation, the baby’s nervous system reacts very violently to caffeine present in the mother’s blood. Additionally, a narrowing of the placental vessels occurs, oxygen reaches the baby in smaller doses, and the development of a state of intrauterine hypoxia is very likely.

Another useful ability of coffee in everyday life to reduce and even suppress appetite can now play a cruel joke. The drink is quite filling on its own, and when combined with sugar and cream it can completely replace one meal. But at the same time, it is absolutely devoid of nutrition, this should not be forgotten.

Decaffeinated coffee and instant coffee

Of course, a morning cup of coffee will not have so many serious consequences if you do not abuse the drink. But this only applies to freshly brewed coffee. The soluble analogue only causes harm. It contains no more than 15% natural grains, the rest is chemical components.

Coffee beans, which are supposedly decaffeinated, also undergo special chemical processing. The caffeine content decreases somewhat, but the danger of consuming such a drink lies elsewhere. The chemicals used in this process make it more dangerous than regular coffee. For a baby, such a replacement can cause future allergies.

Along with the great happiness that a woman experiences as soon as she learns about her new position, she quite rightly begins to ask many questions related to the prohibitions and restrictions imposed on some familiar products. And one of the most pressing and troubling questions for expectant mothers who are coffee lovers is the question: “Can pregnant women drink coffee?”

Is coffee harmful for pregnant women?

Data on the dangers and benefits of coffee are quite contradictory, and even among doctors there is no clear opinion on this issue. Some say that pregnant women can drink coffee, but little by little and in the absence of contraindications; others place a clear taboo on the aromatic drink, claiming that caffeine is dangerous to the health of the mother and the pregnant baby. Who to believe?

According to some studies, drinking no more than 3 cups of coffee per day does not lead to earlier births or the birth of a low birth weight baby.

Other data indicate that coffee is truly dangerous even in small doses, and the more a pregnant woman drinks, the worse it is for the child and for herself. An effect on the nervous system of the fetus, the risk of miscarriage, and a deterioration in the health of the expectant mother herself were noted.

When you really want something, you are tempted to believe those who allow this very “something”... But still, let’s understand in detail what the risks of coffee are for a pregnant woman.

Why shouldn't pregnant women drink coffee?

Caffeine, whose invigorating effect many people enjoy, is far from safe. You may not know, but it is included in some medications (for example, for headaches). And any medicine is not harmless and has a list of side effects. The mechanism of action of caffeine is similar to the effect of narcotic drugs, which is precisely why many people become addicted to coffee.

Caffeine carries the following dangers for the baby in the womb:

• Heart rate and breathing increases;
• Caffeine travels through the placenta to the fetus;
• Any amount of caffeine received by the fetus affects the development of its nervous system and skeleton;
• When consuming more than 200 mg of caffeine per day, the risk of miscarriage or premature birth increases by 2 times;
• The diuretic effect of caffeine helps reduce blood flow to the placenta.

Future mom is also negatively affected by coffee:

• Blood pressure increases, this is especially dangerous for hypertensive patients and women at risk for gestosis in pregnant women;
• The acidity of the stomach increases, so for those suffering from gastritis with high acidity and ulcers, this is an additional contraindication;
• The diuretic effect of caffeine increases the urge to urinate;
• Cofestol, a substance contained in coffee, when consuming more than 5-6 cups of the drink per day, contributes to the deposition of cholesterol on the walls of blood vessels. Women over 35 years of age should be especially careful.

Don’t forget that the quality of coffee entering our market leaves much to be desired. It is mostly grown using pesticides, which make the natural product completely unsuitable for consumption by pregnant women.

Can pregnant women drink weak coffee or coffee with milk? How much coffee can pregnant women drink?

Ideally, pregnant women should avoid coffee. Replace it with other, healthier drinks: fruit tea, herbal decoctions, juices, compotes, fruit drinks. For those who need an invigorating effect, green or weak black tea, a drink made from chicory root, and cocoa are suitable.

But if life without coffee is a catastrophe on a universal scale for you, and no risks stop you, doctors recommend limiting its consumption to at least 3 (or better, 1-2) cups a day. The coffee should be weak and always have milk or cream added. This condition is caused by the fact that coffee leaches calcium from the bones, and during pregnancy the need for this mineral increases.

Can pregnant women drink decaffeinated coffee?

You shouldn’t deceive yourself - the name “decaffeinated” is a good marketing ploy, since these types of coffee still contain caffeine, albeit in smaller quantities compared to regular coffee. It is not advisable for pregnant women to indulge in such drinks.

Can pregnant women drink coffee in early pregnancy?

The shorter the gestational age, the less protected the fetus is from external influences. The effect of coffee at the beginning of pregnancy is aggravated by the fact that the placenta is just forming, which means that all substances from the mother’s body directly reach the baby. In addition, it is not without reason that the first trimester is the most dangerous in terms of termination of pregnancy - it is during this period that all the organs and systems of the tiny body are formed. Given all the risks associated with drinking coffee, it should be avoided in early pregnancy.

Can pregnant women drink 3 in 1 instant coffee?

It would seem that 3 in 1 instant coffee contains less caffeine compared to coffee beans, and even milk - perhaps it will help a pregnant woman compromise with doctors’ restrictions? Unfortunately, the answer to this question is negative. In addition to harmful caffeine, 3-in-1 sachets contain artificial additives that are not at all useful during pregnancy, and the cream there, to put it mildly, is far from natural in composition.

Can pregnant women drink coffee with low blood pressure?

Perhaps, increasing blood pressure in women prone to hypotension is the main advantage of coffee as a drink for pregnant women. But even if low blood pressure is typical for you, don’t get carried away; the dangers of caffeine do not disappear in this case. Green tea, which contains a number of microelements that are useful during pregnancy, would be preferable for raising blood pressure, as an option - drinks made from chicory or cocoa. However, if you can’t do without coffee, remember: drink no more than 1-2 small cups a day, with the addition of milk or cream, and under no circumstances at night.

Can pregnant women drink green coffee?

Green coffee contains less caffeine than regular coffee because it is not roasted. However, no studies have been conducted to confirm its safety during pregnancy and lactation, and therefore experts recommend that pregnant women avoid this type of coffee drink.

Pregnancy is always a time of change, because now you also need to take care of a little helpless person. And, perhaps, someday you will thank him for some adjustments in your diet and drinking. Avoiding coffee during pregnancy is justified, and there are many reasons for this. If you can’t do this, still limit your favorite drink, and also consult with your doctor managing your pregnancy. Perhaps he will calm you down and give the go-ahead for moderate coffee consumption in your particular case.

We wish you health and an easy pregnancy!

Coffee is perhaps one of those drinks around which a lot of controversy unfolds. The question of its use during pregnancy is of interest not only to expectant mothers, but also to scientists who have been studying for a long time the effect of caffeine on the course of pregnancy and the occurrence of pathologies in the developing embryo. There is still no clear answer about the benefits or harms of an invigorating drink, but some recommendations will help a woman expecting a baby make her choice based on her well-being, her own feelings and the recommendations of doctors.

• increases blood pressure, which is especially important for hypotensive people, people with low blood pressure;
• eliminates headaches;
• for some people it acts as an antidepressant, elevating mood and increasing resistance to stress;
• coffee is recommended for type 2 diabetes, as the caffeine it contains increases insulin sensitivity;
• has a mild laxative effect.

Video: E. Malysheva about the benefits of coffee in the program “Live Healthy!”

Risks for pregnant women from drinking coffee

Some features of the drink’s effect on the body of a woman expecting a baby prevent her from drinking coffee during pregnancy. It is safe to say that caffeine and its derivatives remain in the body of the expectant mother much longer than in the body of an ordinary person. This is why many gynecologists warn pregnant women against drinking too much coffee.

Expectant mothers need to be aware of the negative consequences that can result from excessive caffeine consumption:

1. The vasoconstrictor effect of coffee can cause disruption of placental blood flow, which, in turn, leads to disruption of the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the fetus.
2. Caffeine easily penetrates the placental barrier, increasing the heart rate of the unborn baby.
3. In large quantities, it irritates the stomach, causing nausea, increased acidity, and heartburn.
4. Even one mug of strong coffee can increase blood pressure, so women with hypertension during pregnancy should completely refrain from drinking this drink.
5. Caffeine has a stimulating effect on the nervous system and can cause insomnia, which already affects many women in the third trimester of pregnancy.
6. The diuretic effect leads to the fact that calcium and magnesium, which are so necessary for the developing embryo, are excreted from the body along with the urine.
7. A large amount of caffeine slows down the absorption of iron from the gastrointestinal tract into the blood, and it is known that during pregnancy many women suffer from anemia.
8. During the preparation process, coffee beans are roasted, which leads to the formation of a certain amount of toxins, which also have a negative effect on the body of a pregnant woman.

Clear contraindications

As you can see, the effect of coffee on the body during pregnancy is not at all clear. Doctors do not place strict prohibitions on not drinking it at all, limiting the consumption of this drink to 1-2 cups per day. However, there are some conditions where coffee is not only undesirable, but also dangerous:

• frequent migraines;
• early or late toxicosis;
• increased blood pressure;
• insomnia, agitation or anxiety;
• threat of disruption of placental blood flow;
• Iron-deficiency anemia;
• kidney and urinary system diseases;
• gastritis and gastric ulcer;
• increased cholesterol levels in the blood;
• calcium deficiency.

In addition, it is worth mentioning that doctors do not recommend drinking coffee to women who did not drink it at all before pregnancy, no matter how much they wanted it. This is a drink of plant origin and can have completely unexpected effects on the body.

Moderate consumption of coffee during a successful pregnancy is unlikely to harm the expectant mother and her baby. However, you should still be careful in dosage and follow some recommendations:

1. You should drink coffee only after meals, thereby reducing the absorption of substances contained in it from the gastrointestinal tract into the blood.
2. Doctors advise coffee lovers who cannot completely give it up during pregnancy to add milk to the drink. This will slightly soften the effect of caffeine on the body, and will also become an additional source of calcium.
3. It is also important what type of coffee is chosen. So, during pregnancy it is better to refrain from instant coffee and give preference to coffee beans ground at home. The content of caffeine and toxins in this case will be significantly less.
4. When drinking coffee, fluid loss must be replenished with clean drinking water to avoid dehydration that is dangerous for the pregnant woman.
5. Please note that some drinks and foods also contain caffeine. These include black and green tea, energy drinks and cocoa, and any chocolate.

An alternative to coffee for increasing low blood pressure can always be found in a properly selected diet for pregnant women, exercises recommended by a doctor, and taking vitamin complexes. Walking in the fresh air is also useful in this case. Such methods will be more beneficial than consuming caffeine, because the body of a pregnant woman is already subject to considerable stress, so it is better to avoid additional stress.

Video: Advice from an obstetrician-gynecologist on what coffee to choose during pregnancy