Maternal caffeine intake during pregnancy and risk of pregnancy loss: a categorical and dose–response meta-analysis of prospective studies

Abstract

Objective: To assess the association between maternal caffeine intake and risk of pregnancy loss using a systematic review and meta-analysis. Design: Categorical and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies. Setting: Relevant articles were identified by searching MEDLINE and SCOPUS databases through 30 January 2015. Two authors independently extracted information from eligible studies. Random-effects models were used to derive the summary relative risks (RR) and corresponding 95 % CI for specific categories of caffeine consumption and for a continuous association using generalized leastsquares trend estimation. Subjects: A total of 130 456 participants and 3429 cases in fourteen included studies. Results: Compared with the reference category with no or very low caffeine intake, the RR (95 % CI) of pregnancy loss was 1·02 (0·85, 1·24; I 2 = 28·3 %) for low intake (50-149 mg/d), 1·16 (0·94, 1·41; I 2 = 49·6 %) for moderate intake (150-349 mg/d), 1·40 (1·16, 1·68; I 2 = 18·6 %) for high intake (350-699 mg/d) and 1·72 (1·40, 2·13; I 2 = 0·0 %) for very high intake (≥700 mg/d). In the dose-response analysis, each 100 mg/d increment in maternal caffeine intake (~1 cup of coffee) was associated with 7 % (95 % CI 3 %, 12 %) higher risk of pregnancy loss. Our results may have been affected by publication bias, but the association remained significant for the subset of larger studies. Furthermore, adjustment for smoking and pregnancy symptoms may have been incomplete, potentially resulting in residual confounding. Conclusions: Albeit inconclusive, higher maternal caffeine intake was associated with a higher risk of pregnancy loss and adherence to guidelines to avoid high caffeine intake during pregnancy appears prudent.

Associations of maternal caffeine intake during pregnancy with abdominal and liver fat deposition in childhood

“…The most pronounced effects observed in our study were for caffeine intakes above these guidelines. However, the dose‐response relationship in our and previous studies suggest that the adverse effects of maternal caffeine intake with respect to both pregnancy outcomes and long‐term body fat development are not restricted to high caffeine intakes, but increase across the range of maternal caffeine intake. A review of randomized controlled trials had insufficient evidence to confirm that avoiding caffeine consumption during pregnancy is beneficial with respect to adverse pregnancy outcomes .…”

“…As a consequence, fetal exposure to caffeine is prolonged and might adversely influence the development of organ systems. Consumption of caffeine‐containing beverages during pregnancy has been related to an increased risk of fetal death, impaired fetal growth, and low birth weight . In addition to these short‐term outcomes, maternal caffeine intake during pregnancy may also influence long‐term offspring body fat development.…”

“…Consumption of caffeine-containing beverages during pregnancy has been related to an increased risk of fetal death, impaired fetal growth, and low birth weight. [5][6][7][8][9] In addition to these short-term outcomes, maternal caffeine intake during pregnancy may also influence long-term offspring body fat development. We previously observed among 7857 mothers and their children from the Netherlands that high maternal caffeine intake during pregnancy was associated with a higher childhood body mass index and total body fat mass at the age of 6 years.…”

The Safety of Ingested Caffeine: A Comprehensive Review

“…After adjusting for pregnancy symptoms, such as nausea and vomiting, other researchers found that consuming doses of 200 mg/day or more still almost doubled the risk of spontaneous abortion. A meta-analysis by Chen et al (126) reported that, compared to a no or very low caffeine intake reference group (0–50 mg/day during pregnancy), every additional 100 mg/day of caffeine (about the amount contained in a typical cup of coffee) increased the risk of pregnancy loss (both miscarriage and stillbirth) by 7% (126). In addition, among women consuming more than 700 mg/day, the risk of pregnancy loss was increased by 72%.…”

Therapeutic Opportunities for Caffeine and A_2A Receptor Antagonists in Retinal Diseases

“…The main harmful effects of caffeine described are related to caffeine consumption during pregnancy. In this particular case, it was described that caffeine increases the risk of pregnancy loss [14] and the risk of low birth weight [15]. Moreover, caffeine consumption during gestation and lactation has profound effects on neuronal development and adult behavior of the offspring [16], and it also alters synaptic proteins during fetal brain development [17].…”