Research suggests that women experiencing viable pregnancies are more likely to reduce their caffeine intake in response to the pregnancy signal than women who have a miscarriage1-3. Therefore, reduced caffeine consumption may be a consequence of pregnancy viability2.
Coffee limits in pregnancy
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in its Scientific Opinion on Caffeine concluded that the daily caffeine limit for pregnancy should be 200mg from all sources4. Research suggests that moderate caffeine consumption of 200mg/day* does not increase the risk of any reproductive or perinatal complication4,5,6. This conclusion is based on prospective cohort studies showing a dose-dependent positive association between caffeine intakes during pregnancy and the risk of adverse birth weight-related outcomes (i.e. fetal growth retardation, small forgestational age) 4,5,6. It is nevertheless difficult to define the association between caffeine and reproductive health as confounding factors such as changes in diet, smoking, and incorrect or imprecise assessment of the duration of exposure to caffeine may limit the ability to draw clear conclusions1.
Coffee effects during pregnancy
Research suggests that coffee consumption is not associated with reduced fertility7,8, pre-term labour9,10, or fetal death1; or significantly associated with congenital malformations11-14, although further investigation is needed to confirm any suggested association with congenital malformations. Research on pregnancy loss15,16 and fetal growth17gives some conflicting results and further work is required. A Cochrane Review concluded that there is insufficient data to confirm or refute the effectiveness of caffeine avoidance on birthweight or other pregnancy outcomes18.
The content in this Overview was last edited in June 2026. Papers in the Latest Research section and further resources are added regularly.
