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Cut Out Caffeine if You’re Pregnant

Caffeine can be your enemy if you are pregnant, says a new study that appeared in the March issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology. Too much caffeine can increase the risk of miscarriage—even if you have no previous history of this problem.

Researchers found that a caffeine intake of more than 200 milligrams (mg) per day during pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of miscarriage compared with no caffeine intake at all or with an intake of less than 200 mg per day.

The source of the caffeine doesn’t matter, say the authors. It can be coffee, chocolate, tea, soda or even hot chocolate. If you get too much of any of these caffeine carriers (more than 200 mg per day), you are at higher risk. This amount translates to about 10 ounces of coffee or 25 ounces of tea per day.

Interestingly, the magnitude of the risk association is higher if you have not had a miscarriage before. Among high caffeine users, study participants with a history of miscarriage actually fared better during their pregnancies.

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