A cup of coffee for the expectant mother: why not. Is it possible for pregnant women to drink coffee in the early and late stages?

19.10.2019

Coffee is a delicious and aromatic drink that has captured the hearts of millions of people on the planet. Pregnant women are no exception, and many expectant mothers cannot imagine their lives without a cup of this divine drink. Is it possible to drink coffee in early pregnancy?

Benefits of coffee

This aromatic drink made from coffee beans has a number of undeniable beneficial properties:

tones the body;
improves memory and attention;
increases performance.

All these beneficial features coffee can be very helpful for those expectant mothers who are forced to work in the early stages of pregnancy. In the first trimester, due to the pronounced influence of progesterone, many women feel weakness, apathy, and drowsiness. Moderate consumption of coffee energizes and gives strength for the whole day. But is this drink safe for expectant mothers?

Harm from coffee

Much is known about the dangers of coffee. The following properties of this drink pose a particular danger to pregnant women:

increases blood pressure;
increases heart rate;
increases cholesterol levels;
has a diuretic effect (and thereby reduces blood flow to the placenta);
washes calcium from bones;
increases the acidity of gastric juice (provokes exacerbation of gastritis and peptic ulcer);
increases uterine tone and increases the risk of miscarriage.

Caffeine penetrates the embryo from the earliest stages of pregnancy. There is no evidence that coffee has a teratogenic effect, however, even without this, its effect on fetal development can be very unfavorable. Regular consumption of coffee during pregnancy leads to problems heart rate in the fetus. This condition is especially dangerous in the early stages, when active formation baby's cardiovascular system.

Coffee: is it possible or not?

Information about the dangers and benefits of coffee is very contradictory, and even among doctors there is no consensus. It is believed that drinking one cup of the aromatic drink per day will not cause significant harm to the fetus. In the early stages, coffee may even be beneficial for women suffering from low blood pressure. A cup of coffee in the morning will give you strength, improve your mood and make your day more fruitful. Some experts suggest drinking up to 3 cups of coffee per day, but this data remains highly controversial.

Doctors around the world agree on one thing: pregnant women should not drink more than 6 cups of coffee per day. This dose of caffeine significantly increases the risk of miscarriage in early pregnancy. Coffee in such a volume increases the tone of the uterus and leads to bleeding. To avoid this, expectant mothers should limit their coffee consumption to 1-3 cups per day. In the early stages, you should stop at 1 cup of coffee per day.

It is best to drink coffee in the morning or early afternoon. Drinking coffee at night is not recommended. The stimulating effect of caffeine on nervous system may cause insomnia and frequent waking up. The diuretic effect of coffee will also not contribute good sleep in pregnant women.

Who should absolutely not drink coffee during pregnancy? Women suffering from hypertension, as well as other diseases of the heart and blood vessels. You should drink coffee with caution if you have stomach and intestinal diseases. Women who have trouble sleeping at night should also give up coffee.

Quite often they ask their doctors the question: “Can pregnant women drink coffee?” Indeed, this topic worries many expectant mothers. Coffee captivated the hearts of people on our planet many years ago. Specialists long years are studying this drink, trying to unravel its secrets. The question of harm or not has on this moment a clear answer. Experts have found that this drink is both harmful and beneficial at the same time. As for which side of the scale still weighs, it is still difficult to say. However, most scientists argue that coffee during pregnancy is still undesirable. So, is coffee harmful for pregnant women? We will tell you later in the article.

For those women who have been greeting the morning with a hot cup of aromatic and tasty coffee for a long time, this news is completely disappointing. WITH initial stage Fetal development and pregnancy should significantly limit the consumption of this drink. In addition, it is much better to exclude it from your diet altogether until the baby is born and the woman stops feeding him breast milk. Here's why it needs to be done.

It is known for certain that coffee and coffee drinks contain a certain substance that has a stimulating effect directly on B in this case Such a reaction of a woman’s brain entails problems with sleep, affects her mood and the functioning of all internal systems and organs of the expectant mother. In addition to all of the above, even small doses of coffee have a diuretic effect. At the same time, the pregnant woman’s kidneys begin to work in accelerated mode, and her body is simply dehydrated. Increased blood pressure, increased heart rate and breathing are all consequences of drinking coffee during pregnancy. It is also worth noting that coffee helps remove such important elements from the human body as potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium and iron. And during pregnancy they are simply necessary for the expectant mother. To date, Russian scientists have established the fact that coffee can act on a woman’s body as a contraceptive. To do this, you need to drink more than three cups of this drink in one day. If a couple is planning a pregnancy in the near future, partners should take care of this issue in advance by excluding coffee from their daily menu. should stop drinking this drink, since coffee most often provokes the so-called uterine tone. The risk of miscarriage in such a situation increases sharply.

Let us hasten to reassure you, since a small amount of coffee does not have exactly this effect. However, two to three hundred and fifty gram cups are enough to get a similar effect.

Of course, in this case, as many scientists as there are, there are as many versions as to the harms and benefits of coffee. But all experts agree on whether pregnant women can drink coffee or not. The only difference is the duration of pregnancy, during which the risk of health problems for mother and child increases. For example, in the United States of America, the prevailing opinion is that drinking coffee and drinks containing it in the third trimester of pregnancy is especially dangerous for women. It is during this period that the baby’s nervous system is very sensitive to the main component of coffee - caffeine. Coffee always crosses the baby's placenta. We must not forget about this. When caffeine enters directly into the baby’s blood, its blood vessels begin to narrow, making it difficult for the supply of oxygen to the fetus. This is how hypoxia, or fetal hypoxia, develops. In addition to all this, coffee greatly suppresses a woman’s appetite, which is extremely undesirable during pregnancy.

To the question: “Can pregnant women have coffee?” , - you can give a definite answer. It is best for pregnant women not to drink coffee at all. For the sake of your health and the health of your unborn child, you should limit the amount of this drink in your menu to a minimum. Naturally, one or two sips of coffee a month will do nothing for a woman. In any case, those who are interested in the topic “can pregnant women drink coffee” can look for answers to their questions from specialists, doctors, and so on. Thus, the expectant mother will certainly be able to find the answer to the question posed earlier: “Can pregnant women have coffee?”

Is it possible to drink coffee during pregnancy?

While waiting for a baby, a woman's taste preferences change. For example, she used to not like coffee, but then suddenly she realizes: for some reason, she really wants coffee. Let it not be a strong natural one, but at least 3 in 1 (which is not healthy at all) - just to feel the invigorating aroma. This option is also possible: the girl has always been a passionate coffee drinker - and during pregnancy she cannot start the day without the treasured cup.

But can expectant mothers drink coffee or not?

The question is ambiguous: doctors cannot come to unanimous opinion: some believe that a little coffee won’t hurt, while others are categorically against drinking a strong invigorating drink by a woman who is carrying a child under her heart. Doctors also give different answers to the question: is coffee allowed for pregnant women in the early stages and in the later stages? Where is the truth?

Coffee during pregnancy: is it possible or not?
Coffee with milk
Why pregnant women shouldn't drink coffee
Restrictions in the second trimester
Restrictions in the third trimester
How much can you drink per day and how often?
Coffee for low blood pressure
Why is instant coffee harmful?
Decaf Coffee: Pros and Cons

Coffee during early pregnancy

Can pregnant women drink coffee? early? To be able to make an independent decision, let's remember what properties the drink has.

The main purpose of coffee is to invigorate and give energy. For this purpose, pure grain ground coffee, with cream or milk, is drunk in the morning by people who find it difficult to wake up quickly - the so-called “night owls”.

Indeed, coffee:

drives away sleep;
eliminates lethargy and weakness;
helps to concentrate attention;
speeds up metabolism.

All this is wonderful. However, the drink does not always have a positive effect on pregnancy: due to its stimulating qualities, it somewhat tones the uterus and blood vessels - therefore, in the early stages, drinking a large amount of coffee increases the risk of miscarriage. But to implement this scenario, you need to drink natural coffee in huge quantities, more than five cups a day. Moreover, it should not be cappuccino coffee, not a weak drink, but truly strong bean coffee. Not every woman, even if she is an avid coffee drinker, is capable of such a “feat”! Therefore, the risk is not that great.

Can pregnant women have coffee with milk?

The aromatic drink has diuretic properties, increasing the load on the kidneys - and they are already working hard, removing metabolic products from the mother and child. Here lies the benefit and harm: on the one hand, coffee, on the other hand, removes calcium, iron and other essential microelements from the body at an accelerated pace.

Exit? Those who drank coffee with milk during pregnancy claim that they felt great, and doctors did not find any abnormalities in the tests. Milk contains large volumes calcium and other substances necessary for the organisms of the mother and fetus and somewhat replenishes the reserves depleted by the invigorating drink. In addition, milk perfectly saturates and slows down the flow of caffeine into the blood. The latter property allows you to soften the effect of the drink on the cardiovascular system and the uterus.

Coffee during pregnancy: 2nd trimester

Can pregnant women drink coffee in the second trimester? When a blowjob is given, the most calm and pleasant time comes. The dangers of miscarriage are minimized, and the difficulties of the last trimester are still ahead. What are the dangers of drinking too much coffee these weeks?

The placenta is already formed and functioning perfectly. Coffee constricts blood vessels - this has an effect on the child Negative influence. Little oxygen penetrates through the placenta - this can cause fetal hypoxia. In addition, calcium is actively excreted - and now the fetus especially needs it, as its skeletal system is forming. Coffee in large quantities affects the fetus, and therefore the question: “To drink or not to drink?” a woman must decide after weighing many circumstances. If, for example, no deviations in her health are found, she can afford a cup of milk a day, or even two (maximum). If doctors indicate increased level blood pressure - you shouldn’t provoke its further increase, it’s better to think about replacing your favorite coffee. But more on that later.

Can pregnant women drink coffee in the second trimester? If there are no health problems, a little tasty drink won’t hurt. If there are problems, we drink coffee only occasionally, on major holidays, and then in small quantities. Or we change it to something else - maybe a caffeine-free barley drink, chicory.

Coffee during pregnancy: 3rd trimester

Why is coffee dangerous in the 3rd trimester? Doctors point to the possibility of premature birth and the birth of an underweight baby. It is dangerous to drink coffee in the last weeks due to possible fetal hypoxia. However, all of the above applies to large doses of the drink beloved by many. With moderate consumption - a cup a day, for example, in the morning - nothing bad will happen to either the mother and child, either at 9 months or earlier.

How much coffee can pregnant women drink?

If you drink small cups of coffee in the morning, and with milk and a hearty sandwich, such a breakfast is not harmful.

How often can pregnant women drink coffee? It is advisable to do this no more than once a day. But this issue is resolved on an individual basis. Your doctor will tell you how much coffee you can drink during pregnancy.

If a woman does not have a completely healthy stomach or has high blood pressure, the gynecologist will most likely recommend abstaining from the daily portion and replacing it with tea - green or very weak black. If swelling occurs, coffee can do a good job, acting as a tonic and diuretic.

Low blood pressure and coffee

During pregnancy, especially in the early stages, women experience. They are expressed in different ways, but many complain about:

nausea;
weakness;
lethargy;
noise in ears;
dizziness.

A woman can feel that she feels bad at any moment. Doctors advise monitoring your blood pressure levels, as these symptoms may indicate a decrease in blood pressure. In this case, a little coffee is a great way out. You can drink freshly brewed or brewed, which is prepared directly in the cup. To get rid of nausea, make coffee with. It will also be good - it will quickly raise blood pressure, since it also contains caffeine, albeit in slightly smaller quantities. Strong tea acts much like coffee at low blood pressure.

Coffee is beneficial for low blood pressure in a pregnant woman. The main thing is to know your norm and not get the opposite effect - an increase in blood pressure.

Can instant coffee be used for pregnant women?

Many people like to try instant coffee or 3 in 1 in bags after lunch or as a snack - it’s faster, there’s no need to bother with the preparation process. But instant coffee is unlikely to be beneficial during pregnancy - it contains no more than 15% coffee beans. What else is included in the drink? Various "chemical" additives that best case scenario They are simply neutral for the body; at worst, they can be dangerous. So whether you can drink instant coffee or not – decide for yourself. But if you really want a flavored drink, it’s better to drink a little natural one.

Can pregnant women have decaffeinated coffee?

It may seem that decaffeinated coffee for pregnant women is a great way out. In principle, if a woman’s blood pressure often rises, we can recommend this alternative. But don’t get carried away: this coffee undergoes special processing. As a result, instead of invigorating caffeine, it contains substances that can cause atherosclerotic plaques in the expectant mother, and a tendency to allergies in the child.

It has been scientifically proven that drinking 2-3 cups of decaffeinated coffee increases the risk of miscarriage by 2 times!

Changing coffee for tea in order to get rid of the effects of caffeine will not achieve anything: this element is present in both black and green tea. But chicory will help in this case. It contains inulin, which normalizes the functioning of the digestive tract and metabolism. When consuming chicory instead of coffee, pregnant women feel that their intestines have begun to work better. Neither regular coffee nor tea contains inulin. Therefore, it’s worth thinking about: maybe buy bags of chicory and brew them as soon as you want to take a sip of coffee?

Doctors provide the solution to the question of whether or not to drink coffee to the expectant mother. This drink does not pose an immediate threat to the fetus or the woman herself. One or even 2 small cups a day are allowed for almost everyone. But you shouldn’t drink more than this amount - you could actually harm your child or suffer from increased blood pressure yourself. In general, monitor your health - you yourself will understand what your norm is and how much coffee is optimal for you.

The period of bearing a child requires expectant mothers to come to terms with many restrictions and change the usual. Lovers of aromatic strong drink are interested in, Can pregnant women have coffee?. Give it up completely or simply reduce your use.

Effect of caffeine on the body

Pregnancy forces you to listen more carefully to yourself and the reactions of the still fragile fetus.

Medical research confirmed that excessive caffeine consumption negatively affects a woman’s well-being and the baby’s health.

However, if pregnant If you need to feel a surge of strength, the expectant mother prefers to drink the drink in small portions, then the unwanted consequences are not terrible.

As soon as a woman finds out that she will soon become a mother, she needs to take care of many things, and also find out whether coffee can be consumed by pregnant women in the early stages, because in the first trimester there is a danger of spontaneous miscarriage. This important factor must be taken into account by the expectant mother.

Note! A large number of caffeine during pregnancy negatively affects the tone of the uterus, causing a manifold increase in the risk of miscarriage.

The fruit, which develops rapidly at first, is especially sensitive to the effects external factors. This is the period when the nervous system is formed. All necessary components come from the mother's body. In the early stages of pregnancy, it is extremely harmful to abuse caffeine. This has a negative impact on the formation internal organs and systems of the unborn child.

Reasons for the ban

The most important reason why pregnant women should not drink coffee is to bear a healthy child with good bone tissue and nervous system condition.

Coffee for pregnant women not at all harmless, because:

flushes calcium from the body;
stimulates the nervous system;
provokes insomnia, frequent mood swings;
enhances;
provokes miscarriage;
negatively affects the overall development of the fetus.

For expectant mothers with high blood pressure, caffeine consumption is completely contraindicated.

Adding milk will save the day

Can pregnant women drink coffee with milk when there is a periodic drop in blood pressure? Adding milk to minimize the negative effects of caffeine is the most acceptable method. Saturating the body with calcium is not the only benefit of such a drink - it also gives you vigor and good mood.

The main thing is to pour more milk, add a small amount natural coffee(preferably freshly ground). It is necessary to take into account that the calorie content of the drink increases.

If you abuse coffee drink in the second trimester, you can pay by giving birth to a child with bone problems.

According to long-term observations of specialists, the second trimester is the calmest period of bearing a child.

Most women have noticed the emergence of cravings for previously unusual products, for example, caffeine.

You can afford a small amount of coffee with, but always with the addition of milk. The main thing to remember is the basic principle - a small cup after breakfast.

Soluble or natural

Many women choose instant coffee during pregnancy, assuming that it contains fewer harmful components than a product made from ground beans.

The soluble analogue is made using chemicals and therefore causes significant harm to the body:

increases acidity;
impairs metabolism;
provokes the appearance of cellulite;
has a negative effect on the kidneys, heart, blood vessels;
may cause allergic reactions in a child.

It is better to give preference to a natural product.

Most doctors say that coffee is extremely undesirable. This is explained by an overly violent reaction of the central nervous system of the fetus. There is a narrowing of the blood vessels of the placenta, which can result in the development of intrauterine hypoxia. The risk of placental abruption increases, and there is a threat of premature birth. In case of kidney problems, especially those that arose even before pregnancy, it is necessary to completely abstain from caffeine for the entire period of bearing the baby.

Decaffeinated Product

Concern about the baby’s health and their well-being forces expectant mothers to look for an analogue of an invigorating drink. Some women are convinced that decaffeinated coffee d It is not harmful for pregnant women.

In fact, during the production of this product, caffeine is extracted from whole beans. For this purpose chemical treatment is used.

At the end of the manufacturing process, a small amount of chemical reagents remains in the product.

The UCSF-led study involved more than 5,000 pregnant women who drank at least 3 cups of this drink per day. There was an increase in risk miscarriages during the first trimester are 2 times higher than the number of expectant mothers who did not use this type coffee drink. A large study has confirmed that this type of product is not related to the concept of a healthy drink.

Is there any benefit

Many years of observations have not led to a consensus: coffee for pregnant women brings more benefit or harm.

Caffeine has negative impact on the:

internal organs: adrenal glands, liver, kidneys, heart;
arterial pressure;
central nervous system;
irritation of the gastrointestinal mucosa;
absorption of calcium, potassium, sodium, phosphorus, magnesium worsens;
calcium is washed out of the body.

Important! Drinking caffeinated drinks too often causes physical and psychological dependence, forcing you to increase the amount you drink.

Minor Benefits of Caffeine consists of an invigorating effect that improves the mood of the expectant mother.

Expert opinion

Regarding coffee during pregnancy, doctor Komarovsky spoke out, voicing his position on nutrition in general. He drew the attention of mothers to avoid “everything that your great-great-grandmothers did not eat.” Komarovsky is convinced that this will only add to the health of women - especially during the period of bearing a child. Caffeine is not completely digested by our body and increases load on the liver.

It is very important for those who are attached to this aromatic drink to know how many cups of coffee a pregnant woman can drink per day without health consequences. Recommended daily norm should not exceed 150 ml.

In this case, it is better to treat yourself only once a week with a weak drink supplemented with milk. Every expectant mother has the right to decide how much coffee she can drink per day.

But it must be remembered that exceeding the caffeine content of 200 mg per day significantly increases the likelihood.

Can pregnant women drink coffee at all? There is no clear prohibition. Having assessed all the positive and negative aspects, each woman will have to decide for herself whether or not to drink this aromatic but unsafe drink, to risk the baby’s health and her own well-being or not.

Useful video: can pregnant women drink coffee?

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. A definite answer about the benefits or harms of an invigorating drink has not yet been given, however, 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 diabetes mellitus the second type, since the caffeine it contains increases sensitivity to insulin;
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. We can say with confidence that caffeine and its derivatives remain in the body of the expectant mother much longer than in the body ordinary person. This is why many gynecologists warn pregnant women against drinking too much coffee.

Expectant mothers need to know about those negative consequences problems that can result from excessive caffeine consumption:

The vasoconstrictor effect of coffee can cause disruption of placental blood flow, which, in turn, leads to disruption of oxygen delivery and nutrients to the fruit.
Caffeine easily penetrates the placental barrier, increasing the heart rate of the unborn baby.
In large quantities, it irritates the stomach, causing nausea, increased acidity, and heartburn.
Even one mug of strong coffee can increase blood pressure, so women with hypertension during pregnancy should completely refrain from drinking this drink.
Caffeine has a stimulating effect on the nervous system and can cause insomnia, which already affects many women in the third trimester of pregnancy.
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.
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.
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 would like 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:

You should drink coffee only after meals, thereby reducing the absorption of substances contained in it from the gastrointestinal tract into the blood.
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.
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.
When drinking coffee, fluid loss must be replenished with clean drinking water to avoid dehydration that is dangerous for the pregnant woman.
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 to increase low blood pressure can always be found in a properly selected diet for pregnant women, exercises recommended by a doctor, taking vitamin complexes. Walking on a walk is also useful in this case. fresh air. 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.