Can a pregnant woman drink coffee? The effect of coffee on pregnancy

Having learned about pregnancy, women often decide to reconsider their habits and eating habits. For the sake of a tiny defenseless creature, they are ready to give up much of what they previously allowed themselves. Since many women cannot even imagine their life without coffee, one of the most common questions that worries expectant mothers is “Can pregnant women drink coffee?” We will try to figure it out.

How does coffee affect the body?

Coffee, however, like many other products, can have both positive and negative effects on the body. Moreover, this largely depends on the amount of drink that a person is used to drinking.

In addition, regular coffee consumption reduces the risk of cancer, Parkinson's disease, hypertension, liver cirrhosis, heart attack, gallstones and asthma. This drink increases the digestibility of food, dilates blood vessels in the brain, has a diuretic effect and increases blood pressure.

However, coffee will have a similar effect on the body only if it is consumed in reasonable quantities. If consumed in excess, this drink can cause serious harm. The caffeine it contains is often addictive, akin to drug addiction. This is why an avid coffee drinker who does not drink his usual cup of coffee becomes irritable, nervous, absent-minded and lethargic. An aromatic drink consumed in large doses can cause problems with the heart, joints and blood vessels, insomnia, stomach ulcers, headaches, dehydration and lead to many other unpleasant consequences.

What can be the consequences of drinking coffee during pregnancy?

Most doctors recommend that pregnant women avoid drinking coffee. Their position is based on the results of research conducted over many years by scientists from different countries. What are the dangers of drinking coffee during pregnancy? Let's look at the most common consequences:

How much coffee can pregnant women drink?

Since the main negative effect on the body is caused by the caffeine contained in coffee, when determining the daily norm of the drink, first of all, its quantity is taken into account. WHO recommends consuming no more than 300 mg per day. caffeine, European doctors believe that its amount should not exceed 200 mg. As a rule, eight ounces is considered the equivalent of a cup of coffee, which is 226 milliliters of drink. This volume of brewed coffee contains an average of 137 mg. caffeine, soluble – 78 mg. However, when calculating the permissible amount of coffee, you should take into account not only the caffeine it contains, but also the caffeine found in other foods and drinks, for example, chocolate or tea.

Coffee is the favorite drink of many women. It has a unique taste, invigorates, improves metabolic processes. But don’t forget that coffee also has negative properties, which is important for expectant mothers to take into account. As a rule, it is difficult for women to give up the habit of drinking a cup of their favorite drink in the morning. Is it worth completely denying yourself this pleasure? In this article we will find out whether you can drink coffee in the early stages of pregnancy.

Studies have shown that pregnant women should not drink coffee regularly. In the early stages, daily consumption of this drink increases the risk of losing a child by up to 60%.

It is likely that the danger comes directly from the caffeine, and not from other components included in the drink. Those. not only coffee, but also hot chocolate, cocoa, tea, Coca-Cola, some caffeine-containing tablets lead to the risk of losing a baby in early pregnancy. The effect of caffeine is very fast: literally within a few seconds after drinking a cup of aromatic drink, caffeine enters the body of a woman and her unborn child through the blood. Let's consider what can happen if you drink coffee regularly and in large quantities during early pregnancy:

developmental disorder of the fetal nervous system, which begins at 12 weeks of pregnancy;
decreased blood flow to the placenta. Because of this, serious problems can arise: oxygen starvation of the fetus (hypoxia), placental abruption, changes in blood clotting in mother and baby, anemia in the fetus, etc.;
development of diabetes mellitus in an unborn baby;
decreased ability of the mother's body to detoxify;
disruption of the development of the fetal skeleton, the first signs of which (vertebral arch) are visualized already at the 5th week of pregnancy;
increased excitability of the expectant mother, which leads to sleep disturbances and mood swings;
insufficient absorption of calcium and other important microelements by the woman’s body;
increased blood pressure in the mother, changes in heart rate and breathing;
irritation of the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines.

Women should not be too scared because of the listed pathologies. These effects can occur if you drink two or more cups of coffee daily.

The question of whether it is possible to drink coffee in the early stages of pregnancy does not have a clear answer today. But it’s not worth risking your health and the life of your baby.

How to give up coffee?

Here are some tips that will help expectant mothers get rid of the habit of drinking their favorite drink and maintain their health:

Thus, there is no clear answer to the question of whether pregnant women can drink coffee in the early stages. But the side effects listed in the article that may arise from its use are not in favor of this drink.

When a woman finds out that she will soon become a mother, she has to radically change her habits, and most importantly, revise her diet. Now the normal course of pregnancy and the health of the unborn baby depends on her diet and lifestyle. The gynecologist gives many recommendations and answers to the question of what should be avoided and what can be consumed during this significant period. Patients ask whether it is possible to drink coffee during pregnancy? After all, this popular drink has won the hearts of many people who do not start their morning without a hot, aromatic cup. Why don’t doctors allow you to indulge in coffee during pregnancy and what can you replace it with?

The benefits and harms of coffee for a pregnant woman

The main component of ground and instant coffee is caffeine. It is an alkaloid that has a stimulating and tonic effect on the nervous system.

In addition, aromatic coffee beans include:

vitamins that allow minerals to be absorbed more quickly into the intestines;
carbohydrates that have a positive effect on the nerve tissue of the brain;
minerals that play a significant role in the cardiac and skeletal system.

Why shouldn’t a drink so rich in nutrients be consumed excessively while pregnant? Experts cannot unequivocally answer the question about the harmful effects of coffee during pregnancy. More recently, all the doctors said that expectant mothers are strictly forbidden to drink it.

coffee raises blood pressure, which increases on its own during pregnancy due to hormonal changes;
flushes calcium from the mother’s body, which is necessary for the formation of the child’s skeleton;
increases acidity in the stomach, causing heartburn and nausea in pregnant women prone to gastritis;
a cup of strong coffee drunk in the evening will give mommy insomnia, anxiety and irritability;
Coffee and coffee drinks are especially dangerous in the first trimester, when all the vital organs and systems of the child are formed. The weight of the fetus is so small that it is not able to remove caffeine, which easily reaches it through the umbilical cord and placenta;
Caffeine abuse has a negative impact on the baby's development. Every extra dose of coffee leads to weight gain in babies;
caffeine slows down the absorption of iron into the body. And pregnant women often suffer from anemia from the first trimester.

A small dose of coffee can:

speed up the baby's heartbeat;
increase nausea during toxicosis, irritating the gastric mucosa;
remove fluid from the mother’s body due to its diuretic effect. The second and third trimester are accompanied by swelling, in which diuretic products are useful. But initially, excessive fluid loss can lead to poor blood circulation, a decrease in blood flow to the uterus, which causes insufficient supply of oxygen and nutrients to the placenta. As a result, the vessels narrow, the tone of the uterus increases;
If you drink too much coffee during pregnancy, there may be a risk of miscarriage in the early stages and premature birth due to placental abruption in the later stages.

Coffee is considered a type of soft drug. Frequent use causes an irresistible desire in a person to drink more and more often. Why is this happening? Within 20 minutes after drinking a cup, caffeine enters the brain, causing a feeling of joy and satisfaction. But this effect is short-lived, and after 2 hours there is a desire to brew a new portion.

Some doctors allow pregnant patients to drink coffee drinks in small quantities.

caffeine will increase blood pressure in pregnant women suffering from hypotomy;
will improve your mood, as it is a powerful antioxidant;
will help overcome stress;
will promote performance;
relieves headaches
for type 2 diabetes mellitus, caffeine will increase sensitivity to insulin;
Helps avoid constipation due to its mild laxative effect.

high blood pressure;
arrhythmias, tachycardia;
stomach ulcer, gastritis;
toxicosis and gestosis;
nervousness, insomnia;
fetoplacental insufficiency;
anemia (iron deficiency).

Which coffee to choose during pregnancy

The quality of coffee directly depends on the manufacturer and the price of the product. A cheap packet of instant mixture contains tens of times more caffeine than a spoonful of natural ground caffeine. Lovers of 3-in-1 coffee should take into account that it contains not only caffeine, but also many unhealthy dyes, emulsifiers and flavors. This drink should be avoided during pregnancy.

The best option would be natural grain. A small, freshly brewed cup of coffee, drunk in the morning, diluted with high-quality cream or boiled milk will cause minimal harm to both mother and unborn baby. It is important to pay attention to the type of drink. If the choice is between Robusta or Arabica, it is advisable to purchase Arabica. Its grains contain less alkaloid. Also, when purchasing aromatic beans, you need to look at the type of roasting. The more roasted the grains are, the greater the concentration of alkaloids, which affect the strength and unique taste. It is better to drink strong, rich coffee after childbirth and the end of lactation. It is not recommended for an expectant mother to drink strongly roasted coffee.

It is generally accepted that decaffeinated coffee during pregnancy is a complete replacement for the invigorating usual morning cup. Despite the name, caffeine is present, although in minimal quantities. Why do experts not recommend drinking such a product even to healthy people? The technology for producing such drinks involves the use of chemicals that increase the risk of heart and vascular diseases. Such drinks are more dangerous than useful, and cannot replace natural coffee beans.

How much coffee can you drink during pregnancy?

No matter how much the expectant mother loves this drink, no doctor will recommend drinking coffee during early pregnancy without good reason (very low blood pressure).

In the later stages, in order for the hot aromatic drink to benefit the woman carrying a child, it is necessary to observe the following precautions:

1 small cup is allowed 2-3 times a week. The daily dose allowed during pregnancy is 150 ml. per day.
A level teaspoon holds 3-4 g of ground coffee. When brewing, consider the grinding of the coffee beans. The finer the grind, the more powder fits into the spoon. For a small coffee cup (180 ml) 4 g of coffee is enough. The result will be a weak drink with a lower content of alkaloids. Medium strong coffee – 6 g, strong coffee – 10 g.
Drink coffee not on an empty stomach, but after meals to avoid increased acidity, nausea, and heartburn. Be sure to dilute it with milk or natural cream, which will reduce the strength.
Drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. Mineral still water, herbal and green tea, compote, juices and fruit drinks in the first trimester should be 2.5 liters. daily drinking. From the second trimester, the volume decreases to 1.5 liters.
When drinking coffee, you need to limit other alkaloid-containing products - chocolate, black tea, cocoa, cola.

Attention, important! Chinese green tea includes caffeine, but contains vitamins A, P, C, which are useful during pregnancy. Drink it carefully, not exceeding a dose of 2 cups per day. .

How to replace coffee during pregnancy

How can you replace an invigorating warming drink if you can’t drink a lot of black tea or coffee? You can choose a drink from currant leaves, fireweed, raspberries, rose hips, orange and lemon peels. They will charge you with energy, prevent colds, and strengthen the immune system. But you also shouldn’t get carried away with herbal preparations. Before use, you should consult a doctor and drink decoctions of no more than 2 cups per day.

Many pregnant and nursing mothers perfectly replace coffee with a barley drink. Barley does not contain harmful caffeine and does not have a tempting aroma or bitter coffee taste. But it contains many valuable natural substances (proteins, fiber, carbohydrates), which makes the drink healthy. Barley drink helps with kidney disease, stomach and intestinal disorders. Instant barley product is easy to find in stores, it is convenient to brew and retains all its beneficial qualities for a long time. You can buy barley grains. They are fried in a dry frying pan, ground in a coffee grinder and diluted with boiling water. Then let it sit for a few minutes. This drink goes well with milk, sugar, cream and is a good substitute for coffee.

Another popular substitute that resembles coffee in smell and color is chicory. It tastes good and goes well with milk and sugar. Chicory is drunk to normalize blood sugar, calm the nervous system, increase hemoglobin, and cleanse the body of toxins. But a drink made from chicory root has contraindications. Women suffering from varicose veins, gastritis, and peptic ulcers should not use it. It also has a diuretic effect and can lead to dehydration, which is especially dangerous during pregnancy. The optimal dosage is 2-3 cups per day. It is prepared like regular instant drinks, simply by pouring boiling water over it.

Pregnant women often become hostages of their situation. They have to limit themselves to certain types of entertainment, give up bad habits and medications, and, finally, scrupulously review their usual diet. The last point is especially controversial, since some women do not consider pregnancy a disease that requires dieting, while others choose their new menu very carefully. And this is where the serious problems begin. If you can easily refuse some products or at least replace them, then what should you do with coffee? After all, many of us simply cannot imagine our morning without the invigorating aroma and unsurpassed taste of Arabica. To dispel all misunderstandings on this matter, we suggest you figure out how coffee affects pregnancy, whether this drink is so dangerous, how doctors scare you, and how to drink coffee correctly in a “delicate” position.

Coffee during pregnancy. How does frequent coffee consumption affect the female body?

By drinking one cup of a fragrant drink made from coffee beans, we fill our body not only with vigor and a pleasant sensation of flavor, but also receive more than 1000 different substances. More than a third of these elements are aromatic compounds, which give coffee its main highlight - aroma.

The second most numerous are alkaloids - tonic compounds that provide a surge of energy after each serving of coffee. Chief among them is caffeine. Its concentration depends on the type of coffee, but on average one coffee spoon of ground coffee contains about 0.2 g of caffeine.

What else makes coffee so beneficial? It turns out that it contains enough vitamins, mineral salts and carbohydrates. In addition, scientists argue that the chemical composition of coffee beans has not been fully studied and many components have not yet been identified.

100 g of ground coffee contains 50% of the daily requirement of vitamin B2, D, phosphorus and iron, as well as 132% of the daily requirement of vitamin PP, and 20% of sodium, calcium, amino acids and carbohydrates.

Interesting! Coffee beans contain an alkaloid, which during roasting depletes the characteristic aroma and is converted into nicotinic acid. And it, in turn, actively influences the nerve center.

This multifaceted composition makes coffee both beneficial and dangerous to health. But how the drink will affect you depends on the individual characteristics of your body and the amount of coffee you drink.

To briefly describe the beneficial properties of coffee, moderate consumption of the drink (up to 2-3 cups per day) has the following positive effect on health:

provides a good mood;
gives a feeling of a surge of strength for a long time;
increases efficiency and concentration;
stimulates intestinal function;
prevents the appearance of caries;
help stabilize the condition of vegetative-vascular dystonia and hypotension;
exhibits a stable antioxidant effect;
relieves the condition during exacerbation of bronchial asthma;
reduces the risk of developing cancer and cardiovascular diseases.

On a note! Coffee during pregnancy sometimes becomes the safest remedy for low blood pressure, which often plagues women in the first weeks after conception.

The main consequences of abuse of this drink are:

urolithiasis disease;
potassium deficiency;
increased cholesterol;
exacerbation of migraine attacks;
dehydration;
hypertension.

Important! Caffeine belongs to the class of mild narcotic compounds, so many coffee lovers are addicted to coffee both physically and psychologically.

Coffee during pregnancy: is it possible or not?

Many women are frightened by the loud statements of experts that coffee and bearing a baby are completely incompatible. Therefore, all pregnant women are advised to abstain from consuming caffeinated beverages until after delivery. But how justified is this? Indeed, there is a lot of reliable research data on the negative effects of caffeine on the fetus and woman.

Official statistical reports indicate that drinking coffee during pregnancy in the early stages often results in miscarriage, and in the last weeks - premature delivery. But such consequences threaten not women who occasionally allow themselves a cup of weak coffee, but avid coffee drinkers who drink many servings of strong espresso.

To resolve the dilemma of whether coffee can be consumed during pregnancy, Danish scientists conducted an experiment. His results showed that pregnant women can safely drink up to 150 mg of coffee. This is enough for vigor, good health, and complete safety of the baby.

Similar studies were carried out jointly with American, Australian and European scientists. In 2010, they provided recommendations that stated the permissible daily dose of caffeine was 200 g. This amount corresponds to 2 servings.

Important! These recommendations are intended for healthy women whose pregnancy proceeds without complications. If a woman has liver disease, kidney disease, or anemia, then it is better not to drink coffee. Coffee can be especially dangerous during pregnancy in the 3rd trimester if there is highly progressive gestosis.

Coffee during pregnancy. Why pregnant women have different attitudes towards coffee

If a woman was not into coffee before conception, then the question of drinking it rarely arises. And sometimes even intolerance to it can occur, especially during toxicosis. In women, the coffee aroma can provoke a sudden attack of vomiting, mild malaise and even fainting.

Interesting! Berlin scientists have established an interesting fact. Women who drink a lot of coffee have a much harder time getting pregnant. Therefore, when planning a pregnancy, it is better to exclude coffee from the list of favorite drinks.

Why can’t other women give up coffee and brew it again and again? There are two reasons for this. The first is the desire to constantly receive energy “recharging”. No matter how unrealistic it may seem, coffee is truly addictive, just like smoking and drinking energy drinks. Caffeine, entering the body, is absorbed into the blood and reaches the brain, where it activates the synthesis of dopamine. This neurotransmitter causes the desired feeling of joy, vigor, and drive. But this effect is short-lived, and after 2-3 hours the body begins to require another portion of caffeine.

The second reason why a pregnant woman wants coffee is iron deficiency in the body. Its lack causes oxygen starvation in the mother and fetus, poor health and loss of strength. But in such a situation, there is no need to give in to temptation and improve your well-being with another portion of coffee. It is better to tell the doctor about the problem, do an examination, and if the deficiency is confirmed, undergo treatment.

Harmful properties of coffee or why you shouldn’t drink coffee during pregnancy

Those women who have no obvious contraindications to coffee can safely enjoy coffee and at the same time receive tangible benefits from it. Pregnant women with hypotension and vegetative-vascular dystonia are recommended to use weak coffee. But the main condition is to use it after breakfast.

Coffee will also be useful during pregnancy from the 2nd trimester if the woman suffers from physiological swelling. This is due to the strong diuretic effects of coffee beans. But this method of getting rid of edema is appropriate only in the absence of gestosis, proteinuria and iron deficiency anemia.

Much to the chagrin of coffee lovers, the list of its beneficial qualities during pregnancy ends here. But the list of possible negative reactions is much longer.

Undesirable consequences from coffee abuse can occur at all stages of gestation and be of different nature:

Due to its diuretic effect, coffee can flush vital calcium, phosphorus and potassium from the body. This threatens skeletal development in the fetus and osteoporosis in the mother.
Drinking more than 4 cups of coffee in the second trimester of pregnancy leads to insufficient fetal weight.
Caffeine increases blood pressure, which is accompanied by constriction of blood vessels, including the vascular network of the placenta. This provokes phytoplacental insufficiency and oxygen starvation of the fetus.
All components of coffee can cross the placental barrier and provoke a change in the baby’s heart rate.
An overdose of caffeine causes nervous tension in women: insomnia, irritability, anxiety, and aggressiveness.

Important! Drinking coffee against the background of uterine hypertonicity can result in a miscarriage.

When should you not drink coffee during pregnancy?

Coffee is a conditionally dangerous product during gestation, so if you cannot give it up, you should consult a doctor to rule out any contraindications. These include the following conditions and diseases:

Hypertension.
Diseases of the digestive system.
Tachycardia.
Toxicosis and gestosis.
Sleep problems.
Anemia.
Loss of appetite.
Violation of phytoplacental blood flow.

In such situations, even weakly brewed coffee can greatly aggravate a woman’s condition.

How to drink coffee correctly for pregnant women

To ensure that a cup of an invigorating drink benefits the pregnant woman and does not harm the baby, doctors strongly recommend adhering to the rules of safe coffee drinking:

Coffee is allowed to be drunk only after a meal, since if caffeine enters an empty stomach, it will irritate the mucous membranes and cause nausea, heartburn and stomach pain.
It is better to dilute coffee with milk or natural cream. This will slightly reduce the strength of the coffee and also help replenish your calcium supply.
Coffee contributes to dehydration, so after each cup of coffee you need to drink 3 glasses of mineral water to restore the disturbed water balance.
When drinking coffee, you need to consider the caffeine content of other drinks.

What type of coffee is best to choose during pregnancy?

There is a wide range of coffee, so it is not always clear to a woman which variety is best to drink during pregnancy. There are no clear instructions on this matter, but experts advise buying only natural coffee beans to eliminate the presence of third-party additives.

Black coffee during pregnancy

In stores you can buy coffee beans or already ground, of varying degrees of grinding, in the form of a mixture or a specific variety. It all depends on your preferences. But it should be noted that the strength of the drink is affected by the degree of roasting of the beans. The longer they are fried, the more alkaloids are formed. Therefore, it is better for women to choose lightly roasted coffee with milk during pregnancy.

There is one more important point. All coffee comes in two types: Arabica and Robusta. Arabica is distinguished by its noble sourness, delicate taste and aroma, and the weakness of the drink. Robusta is much inferior in taste, but it contains much more caffeine.

On a note! The degree of extraction of coffee is affected by its grinding. The finer the grind, the richer the drink turns out.

Instant coffee during pregnancy

It is mistakenly believed that instant coffee is less dangerous because it contains less caffeine. This is not entirely true, since this type of coffee is made from sorted Robusta beans. And the caffeine concentration may even be higher than that of regular brewed coffee.

Another reason to avoid this type of coffee is its unclear composition. Experts claim that in instant coffee, coffee extract makes up only 15-25%, and the rest is chemical additives. Therefore, it is simply impossible to talk about its naturalness.

The same goes for your favorite 3in1 drinks. In addition to flavoring additives, there are vegetable fats and preservatives.

Decaf coffee during pregnancy

Coffee labeled “caffeine-free” is considered fraudulent. Although the beans are processed to reduce the concentration of caffeine, it still remains in them. In addition, many experts are of the opinion that such coffee is not only useless, but also dangerous. Because various solvents are used to extract caffeine.

A number of studies have shown that coffee after decaffeination leads to the development of atherosclerosis.

Not the best way to extract caffeine affects the taste of coffee. It becomes flavorless and tastes bland. Therefore, it is better to avoid such processed coffee and use natural varieties with low caffeine content.

Is there an alternative to coffee during pregnancy?

If coffee is absolutely contraindicated for you, but you really want to treat yourself to something aromatic and invigorating, there is a very good solution - brew a plant-based coffee drink.

You may have noticed drinks containing chicory, barley, herbal and berry extracts on supermarket shelves. They can be in the form of a soluble powder or crushed raw materials that must be pre-cooked.

Chicory instead of coffee during pregnancy

An excellent coffee substitute is chicory root. After preparation, a drink based on it is very similar to the taste and smell of instant coffee. Chicory has many beneficial properties and is not contraindicated during gestation:

It stabilizes blood glucose levels.
Raises hemoglobin.
Has a cleansing effect.
Improves appetite.
Shows a sedative effect.

Chicory should not be consumed only if you have stomach diseases and varicose veins.

Chicory has a diuretic effect, so you should not drink more than 3-4 cups a day. Prepare the drink according to the instructions on the package. In most cases, it is sold in powder form, which must be mixed with sugar and poured with boiling water. To improve the taste, you can add cream, condensed milk or milk.

Barley instead of coffee during pregnancy

The barley drink is also caffeine-free and rich in vitamins and minerals. It is very different from coffee, but still has a pleasant taste and fresh aroma. Unlike chicory, this product has no contraindications.

A barley drink is prepared in the same way as coffee. It can be a stand-alone drink or part of combined coffee mixtures containing chicory, herbs, rose hips, and berry powder.

"Kurzeme" instead of coffee during pregnancy

This is another well-known coffee drink. It contains fried and finely ground chicory and cereals (oats, barley, rye).

This is a real lifesaver for pregnant women. It is even served in perinatal centers and maternity hospitals as a general tonic. “Kurzeme” protects the cardiovascular system, increases appetite, and supports the kidneys.

This drink can be combined with milk, cocoa, hot chocolate, and juices.

Ultimately, whether to drink coffee or not is up to the pregnant woman to decide. But you should always remember that in large quantities even vitamins can become poison, and vice versa. Therefore, if you drink only 1 cup of coffee, you can recharge yourself with positivity without harming your baby. And if abused, you can face many problems during pregnancy. Be attentive to your health!

Video “Coffee and Pregnancy”

Coffee is the favorite drink of many ladies. However, the onset of pregnancy introduces its own rules into the usual way of life. One of the points of interest to the fair sex is whether it is worth depriving yourself of your favorite drink while in an interesting position? Let's try to answer this question.

Coffee and its beneficial properties

Tasty, invigorating, aromatic, hot coffee is a product that has become the subject of controversy among many world scientists regarding its beneficial and harmful properties. More recently, the best minds unanimously argued that you should not drink coffee while waiting for the birth of a child. However, today their opinion has changed. It turns out that in reasonable quantities, coffee can bring certain benefits to the body of pregnant women, but only if consumed correctly.

Many people know about the beneficial qualities of coffee:

This drink is especially valued for its tonic effect. Thanks to its caffeine content, it helps to wake us up, invigorate us, and put us in a productive mood. In addition, it increases concentration, performance and physical endurance.
Despite the fact that coffee contributes to the formation of unpleasant plaque on teeth, it prevents tooth decay.
Due to its antioxidant properties, the miracle drink helps maintain youth longer.
Fresh coffee improves the digestibility of food, has a beneficial effect on the activity of blood vessels in the brain, and has a diuretic effect.
The drink can increase blood pressure. And, the aroma of coffee can boast an anti-stress and calming effect.

The manifestation of the listed beneficial properties can only be counted on if the product is consumed in reasonable quantities. Serious harm is possible if you do not know the measures.

Coffee is an enviably popular drink. Scientists have conducted research into how coffee and caffeine-containing products can affect pregnant women, particularly the fetus. The findings were not encouraging.

Excessive consumption of such foods significantly increases the likelihood of children developing acute leukemia.
If a pregnant woman drinks too much coffee, there is a risk of developmental delay in the child.
During pregnancy and lactation, an excessive amount of strong drink can provoke iron deficiency anemia.
There is a possibility that the child may be underweight.
Caffeine that crosses the placenta has an adverse effect on the fetal heart rate.
Due to its vasoconstrictor effect, caffeine can reduce placental blood flow, which is undoubtedly harmful to the baby. Thus, it does not receive enough oxygen and nutritional components.
Coffee, along with alcohol and nicotine, can cause addiction. If you drink this drink for a long time, it can provoke anxiety, headaches, and insomnia.
Coffee has a diuretic effect. This should be taken into account and the lost fluid should be compensated.
Caffeine that enters the expectant mother's body in large quantities can cause a miscarriage, since the drink has the ability to increase the tone of the uterus.

Particular attention should be paid to the issue of drinking coffee drinks in the first trimester of pregnancy. It is during this period that the future baby develops all the major organs and systems. The baby’s body is so small that it is simply not able to cope with the incoming caffeine and quickly remove it. Therefore, the negative impact of strong drink is currently worsening.

In what situations should pregnant women avoid drinking coffee?

As practice has shown, not everyone can drink a coffee drink during pregnancy. Often, drinking coffee can lead to undesirable consequences. Everything depends solely on the individual characteristics of the expectant mother’s body.

Women who suffer from high blood pressure even before pregnancy should forget about this strong drink for now. Pregnancy is often accompanied by an increase in blood pressure, so there is no need to aggravate the situation.
The calcium contained in a woman’s body is actively used to form the skeleton of the unborn baby. Coffee flushes out this substance even more.
A strong drink can increase the acidity of gastric juice. Therefore, pregnant women predisposed to gastritis will have to completely exclude coffee from their diet.

If a pregnant woman has no health problems, then she can drink coffee. You just need to follow some rules:

Do not under any circumstances abuse strong drinks.
2 cups of coffee are allowed, no more, only in the first half of the day and not in a row.
It is better to add milk or cream to your coffee.
Drink enough fluids to prevent dehydration.
You should not drink coffee on an empty stomach, so as not to increase the acidity of gastric juice.
In the early stages, you should avoid using it altogether.

The dose of coffee that can cause undesirable consequences is different for each person and depends on the individual characteristics of the body (general health and liver enzymatic system).

Following these simple rules will help minimize the possible harm from coffee.

How to make coffee safe during pregnancy

How harmful coffee will be for pregnant women depends on the caffeine content in a serving of the drink. Expectant mothers are advised to limit their intake of this component to 200 mg. per day, and this takes into account all sources - chocolate, cocoa, cola, tea, etc.

It should be taken into account that the amount of caffeine depends on the type of beans and how much powder is used per serving. Also, its quantity depends on the cooking method.

A simple example. If 210 ml. When coffee is brewed in a Turkish coffee pot, the caffeine content in it ranges from 80 to 135 mg. The same volume of a drink brewed in a drip coffee maker contains from 115 to 175 mg. About 100 mg. Espresso contains caffeine.

There is an opinion that natural coffee during pregnancy should be replaced with instant coffee, since it contains much less caffeine. However, this belief is completely wrong. The instant product actually contains less caffeine. However, it contains far from harmless chemical additives and preservatives.

If you have to give up coffee, then you need to find a worthy alternative. An excellent option would be chicory. It resembles a strong drink not only in color, but also in taste, and besides, this plant is also healthy. Chicory maintains normal sugar levels, cleanses the blood, and helps the liver work. In addition, the unique root contains large amounts of calcium and vegetable protein. It is better to drink the drink with milk. It is heated, after which sugar and a spoonful of chicory are added.

Alternatively, coffee can be replaced with cocoa. It also contains caffeine, but in small quantities. A morning cup of hot cocoa can lift your spirits and energize you just as much as coffee.

You can also drink herbal teas. You just need to know exactly which of them can be consumed during pregnancy and which cannot. By the way, green and black tea also have caffeine. To prepare a herbal drink, you can use mint, rosehip, cherry, raspberry, rowan, currant, etc.

Important! If, being in an interesting position, a woman is not ready to completely give up coffee, then she can allow herself to drink a cup of an invigorating drink in the morning. However, in the store you should choose only natural and high-quality varieties. Particular attention must be paid to ensure that the purchased version does not contain fragrances or any other additives.

When drinking coffee, you must adhere to certain measures. This applies not only to pregnant women, but to all fans of the invigorating drink. Under this condition, you can expect the expected effect from coffee, and undesirable consequences can be avoided.