BREWING TROUBLE Caffeine to blame for ‘tiny’ babies

London: India may soon have to bring in guidelines warning to-bemothers against caffeine intake through coffee or fizzy drinks. 

    The World Health Organization currently suggests a limit of 300mg of intake of caffeine per day during pregnancy but some countries recommend a limit of 200mg, which can be less than a single cup of coffee from some high street cafes. A study has now found that caffeine from all sources and even in the smallest quantity reduced birth weight of the new born. 
    For a child of expected average weight (3.6kg) this equates to 21-28g lost per 100mg caffeine per day. 
    But it was not just caffeine, but the source of caffeine, which affected pregnancy outcomes. Caffeine from all sources increased the length of the pregnancy by 5 hours per 100 mg caffeine per day, but caffeine intake from coffee was associated with an even longer gestational length — 8 hours extra for every 100 mg caffeine per day. 
    Low birth weight is already a serious issue in India. Unicef says more than 20 million infants are born each year weighing less than 2,500 grams, accounting for 17% of all births in the developing world. Infants with low birth weight are at higher risk of dying during their early months and years. 
    Dr Verena Sengpiel from Sahlgrenska University hospital, Sweden, who led the project said, "Caffeine consumption is correlated with smoking which is known to increase the risk for both preterm delivery and the baby being small for gestational age at birth (SGA). In this study we found an association between caffeine and SGA and it remained even when we looked only at non-smoking moms which implies that caffeine is also having an effect on birth weight."