Caffeine and fertility
Once you’re pregnant you can’t
drink, smoke, or eat half the things in your refrigerator, so you’d be forgiven
for thinking that coffee is your last remaining pre-pregnancy vice.
However,
you need to be careful when it comes to all those cups of Joe – coffee contains
caffeine and research has indicated that this may affect fertility and delay
conception. A more recent study also suggests that drinking more than 200mg a
day (two or more cups of regular coffee or five cans of soda) may increase the
risk of miscarriage.
Caffeine can also impact on
fertility treatment, such as IVF – there’s
evidence that caffeine reduces a woman's success rate when using reproductive
technology and while no-one knows why this actually happens, it's likely to be
because high levels of caffeine affect your hormone balance, which in turn can
affect ovulation.
Most OB-GYNs will err on the
side of caution and tell you to avoid caffeine or cut back on your caffeine
intake if you are trying to get pregnant, during pregnancy or while
breastfeeding. Try to limit your coffee consumption to one cup of regular
coffee a day – and don’t forget caffeine can also be found in tea, soda, some
headache, cold and flu remedies and chocolate. This doesn't mean avoiding them
altogether but it does mean cutting back. If you suffer from caffeine
withdrawal symptoms, cut back slowly, or only fill your coffee cup halfway with
coffee and then add milk. Gradually you will be able to cut caffeine out of
your diet altogether.
Read healthy diet for moms-to-be for more advice on how your diet can effect your fertility.
If you have any unanswered questions, use our answers page to gain wisdom from other moms or our resident experts
about this or any other issue you may have while trying for a baby.
The information in this feature is intended for
educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your health, the
health of your child or the health of someone you know, please consult with a
doctor or other healthcare professional.