subject: Too Much Caffeine While Pregnant Is Dangerous [print this page] After a lot of research, studies have shown that caffeine definitely has adverse health effects on both the mother and child while she is pregnant. Women who have high caffeine intakes while they are pregnant are causing negative effects to their children. In the following article, we will review more about caffeine and how much is really safe to take while you are pregnant.
Caffeine is a stimulant and a diuretic. This means it increases a person's blood pressure and their heart rate when it is consumed. It will also cause more frequent urination, which may lead to dehydration if left unchecked. All of these are things that a pregnant woman will want to avoid. In a normal adult, caffeine take about six hours to leave their system entirely. In pregnant women, however, caffeine may take up to twice as long to leave their systems. When a woman consumes caffeine, she can control the amount that goes into her body, but she cannot control how much of that the baby receives. Caffeine will cross the placenta and your baby will experience the same effects that you are. The child will not be able to metabolize the caffeine and it may alter its moving and sleeping, especially in later stages of pregnancy. The controversy that is centered around women using caffeine while pregnant is directly related to the fact that the child cannot control the amount of caffeine it intakes, even if the woman controls the amount she takes. If you consume more than three hundred milligrams of caffeine per day, you are putting you and your baby at risk. Even three hundred milligrams is a lot while you are pregnant. One hundred and fifty milligrams a day is the recommended amount of caffeine for women while they are pregnant. Many experts are suggesting that pregnant women avoid caffeine altogether while they are pregnant. If there is no controlling home much caffeine a child receives, there is no reason to take the risk. If you are going to consume caffeine while pregnant, it is wise to limit caffeine consumption as much as possible. Try to limit yourself to one cup of coffee a day or one candy bar. Once you have had your child and are done breastfeeding, if you plan to breastfeed, you can resume your usual caffeine consumption.
