Cutting down on caffeine

Today the Agency has published new advice for pregnant women on the amount of caffeine they should drink, or eat, during pregnancy. Previously, our advice was that 300mg a day was a sensible limit ­– in other words around three mugs of coffee. But in light of new research, we are recommending that 200mg a day, about two mugs of coffee, is a better limit. Our research actually showed that the pregnant women who took part in the study had an average daily caffeine intake already below 200mg, so for many pregnant women this change in advice will not affect them. 

Our changed advice is based on the conclusions of a study published online today by the British Medical Journal. This research was commissioned by the Agency and looked at more than 2,500 women and their babies. It included not just coffee as a source of caffeine but also tea, chocolate, some soft drinks, and certain medicines. If you go to our eatwell website you can find more information about how much caffeine there is in different types of food and drink. 

The research was commissioned because consuming too much caffeine during pregnancy has been linked to babies having a lower than expected birth weight. This is likely to leave babies with health problems they wouldn’t otherwise have. However, caffeine does not inevitably lead to a small baby. If you‘re pregnant and have been following the previous advice, the risk is likely to be very small. Try to reduce your caffeine to less than 200mg a day for the rest of your pregnancy and try not to worry. Pregnancy should be exciting and enjoyable, not a time for anxiety.