Moderate Caffeine Consumption Not Harmful to Fetus, Study Finds

CAFFEINE March 1993

Moderate caffeine intake by pregnant women, equivalent to three or less eight-ounce cups of coffee daily, does not harm the fetus, according to a study published in the February 3, 1993 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (Tim Hilchey, "No Harm To Fetus Is Seen In Coffee: Moderate Intake of Caffeine Does Not Increase Risks, Federal Study Finds," The New York Times, 2/3/93, A11).

The study tracked 431 women from 1980 to 1985 who composed the nondiabetic control group for a larger study on the impact of diabetes on pregnancy. Since most of the women consumed 300 milligrams of caffeine, or less, daily, the study does not address the safety of high doses, said primary study author Dr. James Mills at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development in Bethesda, Maryland. The study was conducted under the auspices of the federal institute.