- Home
- Parents Home
- Allergy Center
- Asthma Center
- Cancer Center
- Diabetes Center
- Emotions & Behavior
- First Aid & Safety
- Food Allergy Center
- General Health
- Growth & Development
- Flu Center
- Heart Health
- Homework Help Center
- Infections
- Diseases & Conditions
- Nutrition & Fitness Center
- Play & Learn Center
- School & Family Life
- Pregnancy Center
- Newborn Center
- Q&A
- Recipes
- Sports Medicine Center
- Doctors & Hospitals
- Videos
- Para Padres
- Home
- Kids Home
- Asthma Center
- Cancer Center
- Movies & More
- Diabetes Center
- Getting Help
- Feelings
- Puberty & Growing Up
- Health Problems of Grown-Ups
- Health Problems
- Homework Center
- How the Body Works
- Illnesses & Injuries
- Nutrition & Fitness Center
- Recipes & Cooking
- Staying Healthy
- Stay Safe Center
- Relax & Unwind Center
- Q&A
- Heart Center
- Videos
- Staying Safe
- Kids' Medical Dictionary
- Para Niños
- Home
- Teens Home
- Asthma Center
- Be Your Best Self Center
- Cancer Center
- Diabetes Center
- Diseases & Conditions
- Drugs & Alcohol
- Expert Answers (Q&A)
- Flu Center
- Homework Help Center
- Infections
- Managing Your Medical Care
- Managing Your Weight
- Nutrition & Fitness Center
- Recipes
- Safety & First Aid
- School & Work
- Sports Center
- Stress & Coping Center
- Videos
- Your Body
- Your Mind
- Para Adolescentes
Coffee and Caffeine Use During Pregnancy
Is it OK to Drink Coffee During Pregnancy?
If you're pregnant, check with your doctor about having caffeine. It's usually OK to have 1 or 2 cups of coffee, but it's best not to have more than that.
It's hard to know exactly how much caffeine is in a cup of coffee. The total can depend on things like the brand of coffee, how it’s prepared, and the size of the cup.
Studies show that getting more than 200 milligrams of caffeine a day during pregnancy may not be healthy. This is about how much is in a 12-ounce cup or two 6-ounce cups of coffee. Drinking lots of caffeine during pregnancy has been linked to an increased risk of miscarriage, low birth weight, and possibly other pregnancy problems.
How Can I Cut Back on Caffeine?
Having a hard time cutting out coffee all at once? Here's an easy way to start:
- Limit your coffee drinking to 1 or 2 cups a day and pay attention to the cup size.
- Start mixing decaffeinated coffee with regular coffee.
- In time, cut out the regular coffee altogether.
And remember that caffeine isn't only in coffee. Green tea and black tea, energy drinks, cola, and other soft drinks contain caffeine. Try switching to decaffeinated products (which may still have some caffeine, but in much smaller amounts) or caffeine-free alternatives.
If you're wondering about chocolate, which also has caffeine, the good news is that you can eat it in moderation. The average chocolate bar has only 5–30 milligrams of caffeine. So, small amounts of chocolate are fine.
Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.
© 1995- The Nemours Foundation. KidsHealth® is a registered trademark of The Nemours Foundation. All rights reserved.
Images sourced by The Nemours Foundation and Getty Images.