Is drinking coffee safe during pregnancy?

Bhubaneswar: Pregnancy is a crucial phase and hence, it is imperative for every expecting mother to maintain a healthy diet and cut out on foods and beverages that might affect both her and the unborn baby’s health. In that case, how far is drinking coffee advisable!

According to an article by WebMD, two to three standard cups of coffee per day shows no adverse effects in an expecting mother. However, some doctors and midwives discourage it by hinting that the large amount of caffeine could result in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and migraines and certain birth related complications including low-birth-weight babies.

The article further quoted Siobhan M. Dolan, MD, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York saying that the expecting mothers could opt for coffee in moderation as it could sometimes be harder for them to quit entirely.

Several other studies suggest that apart from coffee, a pregnant woman should also avoid consuming chocolate-based drinks and carbonated drinks and replace them with safer alternatives like:

• Fruit Juice

  Fresh home-made fruit juice is a better alternative as they contain vitamin c and antioxidants. However, papaya and custard apple are a strict no-no during pregnancy.

• Vegetable Juice

  These are rich in fibre and folic acid and keep up the nutritive levels in the mother’s body.

• Herbal Tea

  It helps to curb the urge for caffeinated drinks. Drinks like ginger tea and mint tea help with the morning sickness during the early trimesters.

• Butter Milk 

  Looks after the digestive system and checks gastric disorders.

• Lassi

  The sweetened curd drink gives a dose of vitamin B12, calcium and protein and also serves as a coolant during summer.