Study: Caffeine Intake During Pregnancy Might Not Harm Children

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Among many speculations regarding what pregnant woman should and shouldn't consume, is the debate over coffee consumption by expectant mothers. While there is a notion among some that consuming caffeine during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, some others believe that consuming coffee can cause behavioral problems in children.

However, slashing at least one myth, a research by Dutch scientists has found no link between caffeine consumption and behavioral disorders in children.   

There are studies conducted previously which have linked excessive caffeine consumption and chances of miscarriage. One of the researchers of the previously conducted study still believes and advises that coffee is a strict No-No for mothers to be.

"Women should reduce or stop caffeine intake during pregnancy," said Dr. De-Kun Li, a senior research scientist at Kaiser Foundation Research Institute, who co-authored a 2008 study into caffeine consumption in pregnant women, published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, reports health Day.

While talking about link between caffeine and behavioral issues in children, another researcher, Dr. Laura Elizabeth Riley, director of obstetrics and gynecology infectious disease at Massachusetts General Hospital said, "Animal studies suggest that caffeine would be problematic for the fetus, but the human studies I am aware of do not suggest any such association."

The association is particularly difficult to define since there are many factors that could be cause behavioral issues in children, she noted. "That said," Riley added, "the biologic plausibility for a link between caffeine and behavior is there, as we know it is a potent stimulant," according to the report.

For the latest study, researchers asked around 8200 women around the 4^th month of their pregnancy to recollect if they had consumed caffeine, tea and cola or any other beverages -- over the previous week.

The researchers later, when the babies grew up to 5 or 6 years old, followed up on the childrens' behaviors, by surveying their mothers and teachers. Researchers could track 3,439 kids who were available for follow-up questions.

After adjusting their statistics so they wouldn't be thrown off by a variety of factors including high or low numbers of mothers of certain ages, education levels and levels of anxiety before pregnancy, the researchers found no link between caffeine consumption and behavior or social problems, reports Health Day.

"It is premature to make any conclusion based on the finding from this study, certainly not about the safety of caffeine consumption in pregnancy, even in the context of children's behavior," said Li, the Kaiser Foundation researcher.

According to him, other studies also suggest caffeine intake during pregnancy can slow down the growth of the fetus. "There could be other adverse effects on the fetus that we do not know yet," he added.

The study by Eva Loomans, of Tilburg University in the Netherlands, and colleagues appears in the August print issue of the journal Pediatrics.