Can Pregnant Women Drink Coffee?

Coffee is a favorite drink for many people. It's not just men who enjoy drinking coffee; women also like coffee. For friends who are pregnant and enjoy drinking coffee, you should know that drinking too much coffee during pregnancy is not a good thing.

Pregnant women can drink coffee, but it should still be in moderation to avoid endangering both the mother and the fetus. What are the risks that pregnant women and their fetuses might face due to this coffee-drinking habit?

Risks and Dangers of Pregnant Women Drinking Coffee

Here are the dangers and risks of pregnant women drinking coffee. In fact, these risks and dangers can be avoided if you can really stop drinking coffee while pregnant.

1. Anemia

Pregnant women often have a deficiency in iron intake for the formation of Hemoglobin (Hb). The iron needs of pregnant women are greater than before pregnancy because during pregnancy, Hb is needed to deliver oxygen to the fetus.

The risk that pregnant women who frequently drink coffee may experience is anemia. This anemia is caused by iron being poorly absorbed by the body due to the phenolic compounds produced by coffee.

2. Insomnia

Even in normal conditions, people who consume coffee will have trouble sleeping. For pregnant women, caffeine is absorbed 3.5 times slower. As a result, pregnant women will have difficulty sleeping at night (insomnia).

3. Acid Reflux

It is widely known that coffee and tea cause stomach problems. Coffee can increase stomach acid, and pregnant women may experience nausea and vomiting. Another danger is that pregnant women can experience acid reflux (GERD).

4. Threat to Placental Health

The caffeine contained in coffee can seep into the placenta and the fetus. This is very dangerous because the fetus does not yet have the metabolism to manage the caffeine it receives.

5. Fetal Defects

The danger of fetal defects can occur if caffeine is absorbed by the fetus in large amounts. It is feared that the caffeine entering the fetus can damage fetal organs and cause defects at birth.

6. Low Birth Weight

Pregnant women who consume more than 100 mg of caffeine per day have a risk of having a low birth weight baby.

7. Miscarriage

Pregnant women who consume more than 200 mg of caffeine per day have double the risk of miscarriage compared to pregnant women who do not consume caffeine.

Allowed Coffee Intake for Pregnant Women

Now you know the risks and dangers of excessive coffee drinking during pregnancy. So, what is the maximum amount of coffee that can be consumed?

The maximum amount is 200 mg of caffeine, equivalent to 2 cups of coffee each day. If you exceed this amount, you may face a high risk of miscarriage. It would be a shame if you were to lose the fetus. It's better to be patient and not drink coffee.

In addition to coffee, you should also avoid tea and chocolate. Because in 100 grams of tea, there is 11 mg of caffeine. Similarly, there is 50 mg of caffeine in 50 grams of chocolate.

Alternatives to Coffee Drinking Habit

For those of you who find it hard to give up the coffee drinking habit, there are several alternative drinks to replace coffee. Here are some alternatives.

Fruit juice
Vegetable juice
Coconut water
Infused water
Syrup

Indeed, it is difficult to replace the coffee drinking habit. But, for the health of your baby, you can definitely change your coffee drinking habit to healthier alternatives.

Author: Iskael

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