Mums-to-be face a lot of advice on what they should and shouldn'teat and drink. It can be frustrating and confusing. There have beenmany studies linking too much caffeine to miscarrying or causing healthproblems later in the baby's life. Now the government agencyresponsible for making sure our food and drink is safe has issued newguidance to mums.
What is the new advice?
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has lowered its recommendedlevels of caffeine by a third. It used to be 300mg a day and now it's200mg. That works out as a maximum of two cups of average sized mugs ofcoffee a day down from three.
If you're more of a tea drinker it's come down to three or fourcups a day now. It's worth noting that drinks bought from cafes mayhave much more caffeine than the average cuppa made at home. Women arealso being urged not overdo it on other caffeine-rich food and drinklike cola, chocolate and energy drinks.
Why has the advice changed?
Too much caffeine has been linked to miscarrying or mums havingsmaller babies for some time. Past studies have shown babies with a lowbirth weight are more likely to suffer from a range of health problemslater in life. Now new research by Leicester and Leeds universitiesinvolving 2,500 pregnant women is backing that idea further.
What are the possible effects?
Over doing it on caffeine while you're pregnant can effect the foetus' growth in the womb, which can increase the risk of miscarrying.Babies are more likely to be born with a lower birth weight and thatups the chances of the baby developing things like heart disease and diabetes later in life.
Should I worry if I'm pregnant and have been drinking more than the new recommended amount?
No. If you've been going slightly over the recommended amount, there's absolutely no need to panic. The FSA's chief scientist Andrew Wadge said: "This is new advice but these are not new risks. I want to reassure women that if you're pregnant and have been following the previous advice, the risk is likely to be small."