Studies have shown that excessive caffeine consumption by pregnant women can negatively affect the height of their child who gave birth.
Medical news portal Medpage Today reported on the 1st (local time) that Dr. Jessica Cleeson's research team at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) analyzed two data, the "EcHO-FGS" and the "Co-Operator Project" (CPP).
In the ECHO-FGS study, 788 non-smoking women who gave birth to single babies participated, and 1,622 women and children were subject to the CPP study.
According to the research team, both studies evaluated the mother's caffeine intake during pregnancy by measuring caffeine and paraxanthin, a metabolite of caffeine, through blood tests.
As a result of the analysis, the research team explained that the top group of caffeine intake during pregnancy was 1.5 to 2.2 cm shorter when the child who gave birth was 7 to 8 years old than the lowest group.
Caffeine intake during pregnancy was found to have a weak inverse relationship with children's weight. The research team added that studies have previously shown that children exposed to smoking during pregnancy are 2 centimeters smaller than other children, and caffeine seems to have a similar effect.
The findings were published in the latest issue of the American Medical Association's Journal Network Open.
There were some previous articles and news saying that caffeine intake during pregnancy doesn't have a significant impact; however, scientific discovery continues, and information changes. Thus, we should be always vigilant of new knowledge and ideas.
Writer: Minji Kim (Clara)
