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Exploring Maternal Patterns of Dietary Caffeine Consumption Before Conception and During Pregnancy

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Abstract

We describe patterns of dietary caffeine consumption before and after pregnancy recognition in a cohort of women who recently gave birth. This study included 8,347 mothers of non-malformed liveborn control infants who participated in the National Birth Defects Prevention Study during 1997–2007. Maternal self-reported consumption of beverages (caffeinated coffee, tea, and soda) and chocolate the year before pregnancy was used to estimate caffeine intake. The proportions of prepregnancy caffeine consumption stratified by maternal characteristics are reported. In addition, patterns of reported change in consumption before and after pregnancy were examined by maternal and pregnancy characteristics. Adjusted prevalence ratios were estimated to assess factors most associated with change in consumption. About 97 % of mothers reported any caffeine consumption (average intake of 129.9 mg/day the year before pregnancy) and soda was the primary source of caffeine. The proportion of mothers reporting dietary caffeine intake of more than 300 mg/day was significantly increased among those who smoked cigarettes or drank alcohol. Most mothers stopped or decreased their caffeinated beverage consumption during pregnancy. Young maternal age and unintended pregnancy were associated with increases in consumption during pregnancy. Dietary caffeine consumption during pregnancy is still common in the US. A high level of caffeine intake was associated with known risk factors for adverse reproductive outcomes. Future studies may improve the maternal caffeine exposure assessment by acquiring additional information regarding the timing and amount of change in caffeine consumption after pregnancy recognition.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by a cooperative agreement from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers of Excellence Award No. U01/DD00048702. We thank Sandra Richardson from the Congenital Malformations Registry of the New York State Department of Health for replication of our statistical analyses. We would also like to thank all the scientists and staff of the National Birth Defects Prevention Study and the families who participated in the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Global Patient Safety-Pharmacoepidemiology, Eli Lilly and Company, LCC DP 2638, Indianapolis, IN, 46285, USA

    Lei Chen

  2. University at Albany School of Public Health, One University Place, Rensselaer, NY, 12144, USA

    Erin M. Bell, Marilyn L. Browne & Charlotte M. Druschel

  3. Bureau of Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology, New York State Department of Health, Empire State Plaza-Corning Tower, Room 1619, Albany, NY, 12237, USA

    Marilyn L. Browne & Charlotte M. Druschel

  4. The University of Iowa College of Public Health, 105 River Street, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA

    Paul A. Romitti

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  1. Lei Chen
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  2. Erin M. Bell
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  3. Marilyn L. Browne
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  4. Charlotte M. Druschel
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  5. Paul A. Romitti
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National Birth Defects Prevention Study

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Correspondence to Lei Chen.

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Chen, L., Bell, E.M., Browne, M.L. et al. Exploring Maternal Patterns of Dietary Caffeine Consumption Before Conception and During Pregnancy. Matern Child Health J 18, 2446–2455 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-014-1483-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-014-1483-2

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