Consuming Caffeine During Pregnancy Doesn’t Harm Child’s Intelligence: Study

Consuming moderate amount of caffeine during pregnancy does not adversely impact the baby's intelligence or behavioral health, a new study suggests.

According to a study conducted by researchers from Nationwide Children's Hopsital (NCH), consumption of caffeine during pregnancy does not lead to a lower IQ or behavioural problems in the baby, reported Medical Daily.

For the purpose of the study, the research team studied caffeine blood samples of 2,197 pregnant women who participated in the Collaborative Pernatal Project conducted  between 1959 and 1974 in the US . This time period was reportedly one when there was little concern regarding the safety of caffeine.

The research team studied caffeine levels at two points during pregnancy and compared those levels to the child's IQ and behavior at ages 4 and 7.

After analyzing the data it was clear that there was no significant link between drinking coffee during pregnancy and impairment to childhood development.

"We did not find evidence of an adverse association of maternal pregnancy caffeine consumption with child cognition or behaviour at four or seven years of age," said principal investigator Mark A. Klebanoff, reported Live Science.

Previous studies claimed that coffee intake induces obesity in children. But, the new study found that increased coffee intake had no effect on child's health and it did not induce obesity. Of the children in the study, about 11 per cent were considered obese at four and seven per cent were classed as obese when they reached seven. The researchers found no association between caffeine intake and childhood obesity.

"Taken as a whole, we consider our results to be reassuring for pregnant women who consume moderate amounts of caffeine or the equivalent to 1 or 2 cups of coffee per day," said co-author Sarah Keim.

The study was published in American journal of Epidemiology.