It is better to abstain from consuming caffeine when you are pregnant. This is because a study reveals that it increases the risk of miscarriage.
In the journal Fertility and Sterility, researchers indicate caffeine does not go well with pregnancy. In addition, they suggest that the risk of miscarriage increases if the mother consumes more than two caffeinated beverages per day during the first seven weeks of pregnancy. The trouble is a ratio of 1.74.
Worse, the scientists also indicate that the risk of a miscarriage increases if one of the two partners, during the weeks preceding conception, consumes more than two caffeinated drinks per day. The risk the spouse introduces is almost identical since it is a ratio of 1.73.
The researchers reached this conclusion by studying data from a national fertility and environment study (LIFE). The purpose of this study was to examine the links between conception, lifestyle, and chemicals in the environment.
Men are also affected.
As Dr. Buck Louis, a researcher at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and lead author of the study, states, “Caffeinated beverage consumption by the conceiving male is just as strongly linked to fetal loss as it is for the female.
This is not to say that the risk is negligible. For example, of the 344 pregnancies monitored in the study, there were 98 miscarriages, a rate of 28%! Therefore, it is essential to be careful with consuming caffeinated drinks.
Multivitamin supplements as a solution
The authors of this study point out that the older the couple is, the greater the accumulation of chemicals in the body, which also increases the risk of miscarriage. But in their study, they don’t just see the worst for couples who want to conceive a child either.
They report that women who take multivitamin supplements every day before conceiving a baby and during the early stages of their pregnancy reduce the risk of miscarriage by 55%. Furthermore, if they continue taking multivitamin supplements during the first weeks of pregnancy, the risk decreases by 79%.
In summary, caffeine is not suitable for couples who want to have a child. On the other hand, multivitamin supplements are a solution to reduce the risk of miscarriage.
Based on the findings of this study, it is advisable for couples trying to conceive not to consume caffeine. The risk of miscarriage increases significantly with just two caffeinated beverages daily. Furthermore, if either partner consumes caffeine before conception, the risk increases even more. Multivitamin supplements seem to be a viable solution to reduce the risk of miscarriage. If you are trying to conceive, talk to your doctor about whether or not multivitamin supplements are right for you.
