How Much Caffeine Is Safe During Pregnancy?

Too much caffeine from caffeinated beverages and foods may affect you and your baby. Learn how much caffeine is safe to have while pregnant.

Medically reviewed by Alyssa Dweck, MS, MD, FACOG

Whether you favor coffee, tea, energy drinks, soda, or chocolate, odds are that you drink or eat something caffeinated every day. Once you have a baby on board, you may wonder how much caffeine can you have while pregnant.

"Caffeine in pregnancy can be an issue if large amounts are consumed," says Michele Hakakha, MD, an OB-GYN in Beverly Hills and author of Expecting 411. The good news is that most experts say that consuming moderate amounts of caffeine seems to be safe during pregnancy.

Find out here what "moderate" means when it comes to caffeine consumption during pregnancy and what caffeinated beverages and foods to enjoy (and which to avoid) when you're drinking and eating "for two."

Related: A Food Safety Guide for Pregnancy

What the Research Says About Caffeine and Pregnancy

The research on the effects of caffeine consumption and how much is safe during pregnancy is somewhat mixed. There is research linking high caffeine consumption during pregnancy with a significantly higher risk of miscarriage, but there isn't a general consensus about the strength of that link or how much caffeine, if any, is safe during pregnancy.

As a result, some researchers take a very conservative approach. Take, for example, the author of a 2020 review who concluded that given the association between caffeine consumption and negative pregnancy outcomes, pregnant people should avoid caffeine altogether.

Other experts, like those at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), point to what they consider flaws in that all-or-nothing approach and the research used to back it. For example, ACOG cites small sample sizes and issues with the nature of retrospective studies, which rely on self-reporting and are subject to what is known as recall bias, as reasons to question taking such a hard line against caffeine during pregnancy.

So how much caffeine is too much during pregnancy?

How Much Caffeine You Can Have While Pregnant

Because research on the effects of caffeine on pregnant people and their babies is imperfect, most experts advise that pregnant people err on the side of caution when consuming it and limit their daily intake. But taking caution doesn't have to mean complete avoidance.

Major medical organizations including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) say that moderate caffeine consumption is safe for you and your baby and doesn't appear to increase the risk of miscarriage or preterm birth. They define a moderate amount of caffeine as 200 milligrams (mg) per day or less. That's about the average amount of caffeine in two 8-ounce cups of home-brewed coffee (though the caffeine content in brewed coffee can vary widely).

"The overwhelming evidence does not support much, if any, damage in having caffeine," says David Elmer, MD, an OB-GYN at Nantucket Cottage Hospital in Nantucket, Massachusetts.

Related: Can You Drink Coffee While Pregnant?

How Caffeine Affects You and Your Baby

Although there's no evidence proving moderate amounts of caffeine will harm you or your baby during pregnancy, some people are more sensitive to the effects of caffeine than others. That may be especially true during pregnancy when your body naturally processes things you ingest a little more slowly than usual.

Caffeine can slightly increase your blood pressure, heart rate, and the amount of urine you produce. For some people, it can also lead to indigestion or trouble sleeping. Or, it can just make them feel jittery or a little queasy. If pregnancy already makes you feel like you need to pee all the time, can't keep food down, or are tossing and turning all night, you may want to avoid caffeine altogether as it can make those issues worse.

Because caffeine does pass through the placenta and into breast milk, your baby will be exposed to a fraction of it when you eat or drink something caffeinated while pregnant or nursing. While there's no strong research showing that caffeine use in pregnancy impacts a baby's mood or sleep once they're born, breastfeeding and chestfeeding parents who consume excessive caffeine—the equivalent of about 10 cups of coffee—report higher levels of fussiness and sleeplessness in their babies. So it's good to watch your caffeine intake while breastfeeding, too.

Related: Foods to Avoid While Breastfeeding — And Ones That Are Safe

Food and Drinks That Contain Caffeine

Once upon a time, caffeine was mainly found in coffee, tea, sodas, and dark chocolate. But now, there are a plethora of energy drinks and foods that contain caffeine—and in some cases, a lot of it.

It's important to know that many over-the-counter supplements, especially those that purport to give you "energy," contain caffeine, too. Because herbal products are not regulated and may have missing or inaccurate caffeine content information, talk to a health care provider before consuming any supplements you plan to take while pregnant.

Key Takeaways

A lot more research needs to be done before experts can fully understand the effects of caffeine on pregnancy. In the meantime, it's best to keep your daily caffeine intake below 200 mg, which is the equivalent of four cans of caffeinated soda, four small cups of brewed tea, or a little shy of one tall Starbucks brewed coffee per day. If you are unsure how much caffeine is in a certain drink or food, it's best to err on the side of caution and treat yourself to something that you know is caffeine-free.

Related: 7 Detox Food Swaps to Make During Pregnancy

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