The Effect of Caffeine on Pregnancy-Fact or Myth?

Minyahil Alebachew Woldu*

Abstract

Caffeine crosses the placenta and causes a number of complications. This study aims to review the effect of caffeine during pregnancy. Because of ion trapping weak bases that are non-ionized and lipophilic like caffeine diffuse across the placental barrier and become ionized in the more acidic fetal blood. A number of studies have reported the effect of caffeine on pregnancy. Some of the effects are diminishing fetal skeleton growth; risk of low birth weight (LBW); retardation of fetal development and/or intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR); adverse offspring childhood body fat distribution; increased risk of obesity; risk of type two diabetes mellitus; and Increased risk abortion. Even though a number of effects of caffeine are reported to be associated with pregnancy there are only a limited data showing causal association. Hence, avoiding the consumption of coffee, chocolate and tea during pregnancy appears prudent until more reliable evidences are emerging.