Coffee and pregnancy: risk of miscarriage?

According to Health Canada, pregnant and breastfeeding women should not consume more than 300 mg of caffeine per day (just over two cups of coffee, or about 235 ml). Two epidemiological studies shed light on increased risk of miscarriage¹ and deliver a low-weight baby² in pregnant women who consume more than 3 cups of coffee per day. On the other hand, other data indicate that, despite what was believed at one time, coffee consumption is not associated with the risk of fetal death.³ or congenital malformation⁴.

• Smoking greatly increases the risk,
• alcohol or drugs during pregnancy. (Remember that we must drink zero alcohol during pregnancy).
• Regular exposure to certain chemicals.
• Taking medicines during pregnancy, for example ibuprofen, naproxen and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

See the news on Passeportsanté.net: Anti-inflammatory drugs are believed to be linked to miscarriages

• Consumption of high dose caffeine, more than 3 cups per day.
• Certain prenatal tests such as amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling. (see box)
• Consumption of raw (unpasteurized) milk which could potentially lead to contamination with bacteria such as Samonella, Listeria ou E. E. coli coli.
• Fever.
• Rubella virus and other untreated maternal infections (toxoplasmosis, cytomegalovirus, influenza).

Prenatal tests and risk of miscarriage

THEamniocentesis is the most widely used prenatal diagnostic technique. It can be used to determine with certainty whether the fetus has Down’s syndrome. This test can be performed when 21 weeks of pregnancy have been completed. To do an amniocentesis, amniotic fluid is taken from the pregnant woman’s uterus using a thin needle inserted into her abdomen. This exam includes a risk of fetal loss of about 1 in 200 or 0,5%. This is why doctors offer this test mainly to women 35 years of age and over or to women who are at high risk following a blood test.

Chorionic villus (PVC) sampling (or biopsy) involves removing fragments of the placenta called chorionic villi. The sample is taken through the abdominal wall or vaginally between 11 and 13 weeks of pregnancy. The technique can be used to determine whether the fetus has a chromosomal abnormality, for example trisomy 21. Chorionic villus biopsy includes a risk of miscarriage of 0,5 to 1%.