Pregnant women are more likely to pay attention to their he alth, watch what they eat and distance themselves from the harmful habits they had before. However, coffee is among the favorite invigorating drinks that are the most difficult for a pregnant woman to part with, especially if she is a passionate lover of the black drink.
Doctors' recommendations are associated with an appeal to refrain from overdosing, but not to completely exclude it, since coffee is rich in antioxidants and has its own beneficial properties. According to popular belief, one or two cups of coffee per day is considered safe.
How caffeine affects a pregnant woman
Like any stimulant, caffeine has its side effects. It can increase the heart rate and blood pressure, and too much of it can be dangerous for the pregnant woman and the baby.
Caffeine is also a diuretic. It can accelerate the excretion of urine, which can cause mild dehydration and disturbed electrolyte balance in the body. It in turn causes cramps and contractions.
How caffeine affects the baby
Coffee also stimulates the fetus, so the pregnant woman may feel more energetic and nervous movements from the baby, especially in the third trimester.
Caffeine can speed up the pulse of the baby as well as the mother, which is not at all harmless to the developing fetus.
As caffeine affects the nervous system, as a result of abuse of excessive amounts of coffee during pregnancy, the baby may show symptoms of various disorders in the nervous system after birth, such as tremors, difficulty sleeping, irritability and inconsolable crying.
What happens if you take too much caffeine per day during pregnancy?
If you allow yourself to drink 4-5 cups or more of coffee a day, the dangers to your he alth and that of the baby increase many times over.
Here's what can happen:
Birth defects: occur due to rhythm disturbances during pregnancy that have a harmful effect on the formation of the baby's organs.
Miscarriage: Caffeine can increase the risk of miscarriage if taken in large doses. It happens for many reasons, including increased blood pressure, increased heart rate, overstimulation of the nervous system, accelerated muscle contraction.
Premature birth: its risk also increases with high doses of caffeine. Avoid drinking more than 1, maximum 2 cups of coffee per day preferably not strong.
Low birth weight: there is a close relationship between low birth weight and caffeine.
