New study finds caffeine doubles risk of miscarriage

[Anonymous]

cucumber

[Anonymous]

The problems with this study are numerous, and physician quoted in the Times does a good job of breaking them down briefly. Basically, the study was based on single interviews with women midway through their pregnancies, many of whom had already miscarried. So, this wasn't a prospective study in which the authors identified women and tracked them from beginning to end of pregnancy, having them keep diaries, etc. It was based on the women's recall. Scientifically speaking, it's not the most reliable method. And another study came out about a year ago that found no link between moderate caffeine consumption (under 300 mg/day, I believe) and miscarriage. So, choose your study.

And, bottom line, most miscarriages are chromosomal -- caffeine has nothing to do with that.

[Anonymous]

umber. Cucumber.

[Anonymous]

I think all the benefits provided to a fetus by a daily dose of caffeine far outweigh the risks associated with it. If only caffeine weren't essential to human growth and development...

[Anonymous]

The study doesn't state the sample number.

I am a scientist and pre baby I did a lot of data analysis. I am suspicious and I question results and conclusions when a study is based soley on an interview of a small number of women.

In addition, it really makes a broad generalization.

I also find out dubious that ALL other variables were ruled out - age, smoking v. non smoking, weight, environmental factors, genetics, previous miscariages, previous births, etc.

...Not saying that caffeine couldn't contribute to miscarriages especially if in "high" doses (how is that specifically defined?), but I wouldn't start freaking out and , in fact, I would raise start to question the study until it can be validated.

[Anonymous]

Sorry, previous disgruntled poster here - I actually heard the study on the radio that didn't elaborate on sample number or the dosage of caffeine. I see it now in the linked article.

But still...a sample size of a 1000 women and Kaiser is making a broad generalization. I don't know...you can skew statistics to interpret them any way you want - that goes for the medical field, pharmaceuticals, politics, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think all the benefits provided to a fetus by a daily dose of caffeine far outweigh the risks associated with it. If only caffeine weren't essential to human growth and development...

Can you expand on this?

[Anonymous]

PP, I think the poster was being "funny." Or trying to be. You see, in her view, those of us who doubt this study's findings are just selfish women who aren't willing to cut out every substance that doesn't offer demonstrable nutritional value to the tiny lives growing in our burgeoning bellies.

[Anonymous]

Not selfish, just needlessly careless.

Seems like there are continusously studies that indicate that the risks of, for instance, consuming caffeine or fish (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/23/dining/23sushi.html?scp=2&sq=sushi&st=nyt), might be greater than some doctors think.

BTW, I am not the PP re: the benefits of caffeine to the fetus.

[Anonymous]

That study is about sushi. Raw fish. OF COURSE you should eat that in moderation.

I honestly think that being relaxed during your pregnancy and not freaking out about doing things in moderation is far better for your baby than anything. Every uptight pregnant women I've ever met had an uptight baby. Not a statistically accurate sampling, just an observation.

[Anonymous]

woman. Sorry. I am uptight about typos.

[Anonymous]

cucumber

Has anyone seen the study that says cucumbers are dangerous during pregnancy?

Just kidding, of course.

- From an uptight mom with a very easygoing baby

[Anonymous]

We are all alive and doing well. Most of us are anyway... Our moms drank, smoked, ate tuna, had lead paint on their walls, and were exposed to God knows what and we probably didn't ride in car seats depending on how old we are. And we are..... ALL FINE!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are all alive and doing well. Most of us are anyway... Our moms drank, smoked, ate tuna, had lead paint on their walls, and were exposed to God knows what and we probably didn't ride in car seats depending on how old we are. And we are..... ALL FINE!

I was hoping for more than just "alive" and "fine" for my little ones.

[Anonymous]

The study showed that there was an increased risk for women who consumed more than 200 mg of caffeine every day. I think a tall Starbucks is less than 100 mg., so you'd have to be drinking a lot of strong coffee or coffee plus a good amount of tea and chocolate to get to that level. In other words, if you are one of those people who runs around on a caffeine high all day, you're at risk. But, IMHO, if you're running around on that much caffeine you're probably REALLY stressed out, and who knows whether it is the stress or the caffeine that contributes to the miscarriage.