Can pregnant women drink coffee?

Coffee contains caffeine, B vitamins such as B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid), minerals such as manganese, potassium and antioxidants belonging to the polyphenol group.

You can drink coffee, but you need to control the total amount of caffeine in coffee and all other foods during the day (for example green tea, cocoa powder, chocolate, milk tea, energy drinks, some types of candy) to less than 200 mg per day.

The caffeine content of each cup of coffee can vary depending on the brand, type, and brewing method. Pregnant women should not drink more than one 8-ounce cup of coffee at a time. If coffee is your only source of caffeine during the day, you can drink a maximum of 1-2 cups of coffee, equivalent to about 8-16 ounces (depending on the caffeine content of each cup).

Drinking coffee in moderation brings health benefits. Coffee helps pregnant women reduce fatigue, increase energy, and be more alert. Pregnant women who consume less than 100 mg of caffeine per day can reduce the risk of gestational diabetes by 47%. However, pregnant women who drink a lot of coffee also have potential disadvantages. Caffeine can reduce blood flow to the fetus, causing the fetus to compensate for the lack of oxygen by increasing breathing rate. Excessive caffeine consumption can increase the risk of insomnia, miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth, slow fetal development, and low birth weight.

Pregnant women have different constitutions, health conditions, underlying diseases and fetal development levels. To ensure the safety of both mother and baby, you should consult an obstetrician or nutritionist before adding coffee to your daily diet.

You should choose pure coffee with few additives and preservatives instead of milk coffee or instant coffee. The purpose is to limit the absorption of unnecessary sugar and fat, reducing the risk of excessive weight gain or gestational diabetes. You need to build a pregnancy diet with a variety of foods, balancing important nutrients including carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins and minerals.