Coffee is a fragrant drink, without which some people cannot imagine their morning. It is easier to wake up with it, and the drink also contributes to the production of serotonin, which helps to cheer up. Coffee is loved not only by men, but also by women. However, in the life of the fair sex comes the time when the diet changes. Indeed, during the period of expectation of the child, she is responsible for the health of the fetus and her own. Can pregnant women drink coffee?
How does caffeine affect a person
The basis of coffee is caffeine. It is part of both the natural and soluble form of the drink. Even in decaffeinated coffee, it is present in small quantities. Once in the stomach, it quickly spreads throughout the body, easily penetrates into the cells of the brain. Even a small concentration of caffeine in the blood is enough to manifest an effect on the nervous system.
What effects in the human body are observed:
- Due to the effect of caffeine on blood vessels, an increase in blood pressure occurs.
- The pulse quickens, which can lead to tachycardia and to a breakdown in the rhythm of the heart.
- The respiratory center of the brain is activated. This helps to increase breathing.
- It has a diuretic effect.
- Thanks to caffeine, performance increases and drowsiness disappears. The duration of this effect depends on the individual sensitivity to caffeine.
Can pregnant women drink coffee? With such properties, a drink can adversely affect a woman's body. Therefore, the effect of the drink should be considered taking into account the peculiarities of its condition.
The effect of coffee on a woman’s body
The drink has been known since antiquity for its special properties. First of all, it has a tonic effect. It allows many people to cheer up and finally wake up in the morning thanks to its serotonin. Experts are sure that if a woman before conception ate a drink in large doses, then she should not completely refuse it, it is best to reduce the number of cups per day.
Why shouldn’t pregnant women drink coffee? The drink increases blood pressure, which can harm patients who suffer from hypertension. And its high indicators lead to the development in a pregnant woman of such a dangerous disease as gestosis. Therefore, when a similar problem occurs, coffee must be discarded. For hypotonics, this property of the drink is harmless, but they also have pressure surges, which negatively affects the heart and blood vessels.
Drinking during pregnancy can cause nervous excitement. Usually this condition disrupts sleep.
Another negative effect of coffee is its diuretic effect. At the same time, the growing uterus already presses on the bladder. From a drink in a pregnant woman, the number of urinations increases, which causes a violation of the water-salt balance.
Can pregnant women have coffee in the morning? It increases the acidity of the stomach. In general, drinking it on an empty stomach is not recommended, it is first worth having breakfast. When using the drink, digestion processes and the appearance of gastric ulcer are possible. In pregnant women, drinking a cup of coffee causes heartburn and increased toxicosis.
Coffee harm to the fetus
The drink has a negative effect not only on the body of a pregnant woman, but also on her child. After all, the fetus receives full nutrition from its mother. When caffeine is in the body of a woman, it instantly spreads through the blood and its internal organs, including the placenta. This substance can cause narrowing of the placental vessels, so the unborn child will lack oxygen and nutrients.
Can pregnant women drink coffee? The amount of drink is strictly limited, and abuse of it can cause a delay in the development of the child.
Recent studies have confirmed that drinking large quantities of coffee causes an underweight of 100-200 g. This is due to a lack of intrauterine nutrition caused by the influence of caffeine on the placenta.
The drink also negatively affects the nervous system of not only the mother, but also the unborn child.
The danger of coffee in 1 trimester
Special attention is paid to specialists taking a drink at the beginning of pregnancy. At this time, the formation of systems and organs of the fetus. Caffeine can increase the contraction of the heart muscle, which can lead not only to a delay in the development of the unborn child, but also to his death.
Why can't pregnant women drink coffee? A seemingly harmless drink can increase the tone of the uterus, which increases the likelihood of miscarriage by 60%. Even with a favorable pregnancy outcome, coffee does the following harm:
- insufficient calcium in the formation of the child’s bone system;
- possible development of diabetes;
- tendency to the occurrence of nervous excitement;
- violation of the heart rate in the fetus;
- lack of nutrients.
Modern studies have found that coffee is harmful to drink in preparation for conception. According to statistics, among women who can not get pregnant for a long time, a large number of lovers of this fragrant drink.
With all the negative effects of coffee on the body, there is no single point of view among doctors. Indeed, in many ways the harm of a drink depends on the quantity and quality of the drink.
Dose of coffee in the 2nd and 3rd trimester of pregnancy
On this issue, scientists are constantly conducting their research. Therefore, they prove that in moderate amounts (2-3 cups), natural coffee will not harm the body of a woman and an unborn child. This does not apply to the first months of pregnancy. Specialists came to the conclusion that the drink can be drunk per day no more than 150-200 ml.
Can pregnant women drink coffee with milk? It is best to solve this issue with a gynecologist, who during this period of time observes a woman. This largely depends on the characteristics of the body and the condition of the future mother. With severe hypertension, coffee is strictly prohibited, because pressure can rise to critical values.
For problems associated with a lack of calcium in the body (headache, dizziness), drinking coffee is not recommended. After all, he washes it out of the body, and the mineral reserves are necessary for both the mother and her unborn baby. The drink is able to negatively affect the stomach and increase its acidity. But even with the absolute health of the woman, she must strictly follow the doctor’s recommendations.
How much coffee per day is acceptable?
How much coffee can pregnant women drink? It can be consumed in the following amounts:
- The ideal amount is 1-2 cups (150 ml) of natural coffee per day.
- It is best to add milk or cream to the drink. This will alleviate the loss of calcium by the body.
- After drinking coffee, you need to drink a glass of water to avoid dehydration.
Drinking a drink on an empty stomach is not recommended, so as not to cause an increase in acidity.
How much natural coffee can pregnant women drink? It depends on many factors.
The amount of caffeine is very different from the type of coffee and its preparation. Therefore, it is impossible to precisely limit yourself to 2 cups.
More caffeine is found in black coffee, which also depends on its variety. In arabica tea, 45-60 mg of the substance is present, and in robusta, 170-200 mg.
Can pregnant women drink instant coffee? It is not recommended for women to drink it at all. In it, the amount of caffeine is 60-80 mg, but the acidity and concentration are exceeded, which negatively affects the digestive organs of a woman. Among other things, low-quality grains are used to make instant coffee, and the manufacturer adds synthetic flavors to enhance taste.
A great alternative is green coffee. Due to the lack of processing, many useful substances are stored in it. When preparing coffee beans, you can independently adjust the degree of roasting and the corresponding amount of caffeine.
To navigate with the permissible amount of invigorating drinks, you need to limit yourself to the following:
- 94 ml espresso;
- liter of black tea;
- 200 ml cappuccino;
- 2 servings of Americano.
A pregnant woman must take into account the amount of coffee of different varieties per day and try not to exceed them so as not to harm the body.
Can pregnant women drink coffee with milk
To reduce the strength of the drink, various additives should be added to it. You can drink coffee with milk. These components combine perfectly with each other. After all, milk is a source of calcium, which the body of a woman and a child needs. Coffee helps digest lactose. Therefore, such a drink in reasonable quantities is allowed to be consumed during pregnancy.
Decaffeinated coffee
Some women try to consume a caffeine-free drink during pregnancy. However, this is a marketing ploy. Caffeine in an amount of 9-12 mg is also present in such a drink.
Why shouldn’t pregnant women drink coffee? On the one hand, a decaffeinated drink is preferable for women expecting a baby, but chemical compounds are used to extract this substance. And they can adversely affect the health of women.
What kind of drink should a pregnant woman drink?
The desire to drink coffee is not accidental. Indeed, in this case, the woman’s body lacks iron, phosphorus or sulfur.
Can pregnant women drink coffee? To replace a coffee drink, you can use the alternative:
- Chicory. A drink that most closely resembles coffee in color and smell. It is not harmful, but even useful for a woman during pregnancy. It increases hemoglobin levels, cleanses blood vessels and the liver, and also calms the nervous system.
- Herbal teas that can be combined with honey and lemon. For its preparation, cowberries, mint, raspberry flowers and rose hips are suitable.
- Cocoa. The drink contains caffeine in a minimal amount. It perfectly restores strength, improves mood and positively affects the digestive system.
Is coffee harmful to pregnant women? Of course, it can have a negative effect on a woman’s body if the dosage of the drink is not followed.
Recommendations for drinking coffee during pregnancy
The basic rules for taking a drink include:
- A woman should limit as much as possible the amount of coffee during pregnancy, which proceeds without complications.
- Use only a quality drink with a minimum amount of caffeine.
- You need to drink coffee only in the morning, to avoid drinking it at night.
- Monitor blood pressure and heart rate.
Only in this case, coffee will not harm the body of the woman and her child.
Finally
Coffee is an aromatic drink that has excellent taste. If used improperly, it can cause harm to a pregnant woman and her baby. Therefore, you should drink coffee in limited quantities and with the permission of a specialist.