International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics

Drinking a cup of coffee during pregnancy is unlikely to increase a women's risk of miscarrying or giving birth prematurely, researchers have said.

Moderate caffeine intake - less than 200mg a day - should not affect women too much, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (ACOG), a member society of FIGO.

"For years, women have been getting mixed messages about whether or not they should have any caffeine during pregnancy," said Dr William Barth Jr., chair of ACOG's committee on obstetric practice.

"After a review of the scientific evidence to date, daily moderate caffeine consumption doesn't appear to have any major impact in causing miscarriage or pre-term birth."

Recent research from scientists at the University of New Mexico, US, found that older women who drink during pregnancy have babies that are more sensitive to alcohol, increasing the chance of them experiencing a foetal alcohol disorder.

According to the study, which was published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, older women tend to drink more than their younger counterparts.

Posted by David Smith