Scientists find link between coffee and infant weight

Pregnant women who drink coffee give birth to babies with a lower weight and body size than those who completely abstain from such drinks, Report informs with reference to scientists at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD).

According to Katherine Laughon Grantz, doctor of medical sciences and one of the authors of the study, the data showed that while expecting a child, it is worth limiting or eliminating caffeinated beverages.

So, scientists analyzed the data of more than 2,000 women who were in the eighth to thirteenth weeks of pregnancy. They were healthy and did not smoke, and from 10 to 13 weeks they gave blood samples, which were examined for the content of caffeine and paraxanthine, a compound produced during its breakdown.

The study revealed that women who consumed about 50 milligrams of caffeine per day (equivalent to half a cup of coffee) had babies 66 grams lighter than those who did not use this stimulant at all.

So, according to scientists, caffeine causes the narrowing of blood vessels in the placenta, which can reduce the blood supply to the fetus and slow its growth. Besides, the researchers believe that this substance may potentially disrupt the work of stress hormones in babies, putting them at risk of rapid weight gain and obesity after birth, and also increases the chances of developing heart disease and diabetes in the future.

Research has shown that even a moderate intake of caffeine, contained in two cups of the drink, can lead to the risk of intrauterine growth retardation, as well as increase the chances of low birth weight.