Effect Of Caffeine On Pregnancy
Consumption of caffeine is a common practice in our society, as we are the toughest coffee drinkers in the world. In addition to coffee, caffeine is found in tea, energy drinks and soft drinks, for example. In this article, we will look at the effect of caffeine on pregnancy.
What is Caffeine?
There is a lot of talk about caffeine, but how many people know what it really is? Chemically, caffeine is a stimulant alkaloid belonging to methylxanthines. In the body, caffeine acts as a psychostimulant for the central nervous system. Caffeine competes against A1 and A2 receptor adenosine. These receptors are responsible for inhibiting the release of many neurotransmitters. Caffeine seems to release these same neurotransmitters. As a result, dopamine production is accelerated.
Caffeine can also be abused because of its invigorating and stimulating properties. Continuous use of large amounts of caffeine increases a person’s caffeine tolerance. Caffeine also has healing properties that can be exploited. For example, it has analgesic properties and is used in flu and migraine medications, for example.
What are the properties of caffeine?
Caffeine is a psychostimulant and psychoactive substance for our central nervous system. This means that it activates our brains, keeping them awake and alert. But that’s not all – the effect of caffeine on our body is much more diverse:
- Caffeine is an antioxidant that fights free radicals
- Caffeine raises arterial pressure
- Caffeine raises the heart rate.
- Caffeine has diuretic properties
- Caffeine speeds up blood circulation
- Caffeine causes some dehydration
- Caffeine can cause headaches, but can also relieve it
- Caffeine helps improve airway function by increasing diaphragm contraction
- Caffeine dilates muscle blood vessels
Effect of caffeine on pregnancy
Caffeine has sometimes been considered a risk factor for fertilization, just like tobacco or drugs. However, small doses of caffeine do not pose a risk. However, it is important to be aware of caffeine abuse if you want to get pregnant.
If caffeine is used sparingly during pregnancy, it has no harmful effects. On the other hand, if caffeine is ingested in large amounts during pregnancy, it can affect fetal growth and even cause miscarriage. This is because caffeine is also transported to the fetus. The caffeine in the mother’s blood can flow freely into the amniotic fluid and through it into the fetus. The placenta is unable to remove the caffeine that enters it. This may cause the fetus not to get the enzymes it needs in its liver until it reaches the age of eight months.
Due to the properties of caffeine, it can cause both uterine and fetal blood vessels to constrict while reducing the amount of blood received by the fetus. This means that the baby gets less oxygen and nutrients. In this way, high levels of caffeine can affect fetal growth. Another more serious complication caused by caffeine during pregnancy is miscarriage. This is especially common during the first three months of pregnancy. Excessive caffeine can also cause gestational poisoning and high blood pressure.
It is important to control high arterial blood pressure and heart rate during pregnancy. Therefore, ingestion of substances that affect them should be avoided. If this is not done, both the child and the adult may experience unwanted complications. Caffeine is also passed from mother to child during breastfeeding during breastfeeding. If your baby gets too much caffeine, the child may be irritated and may have trouble sleeping. However, it is good to remember that moderate caffeine intake does not pose such risks.
How caffeine affects pregnancy still requires a lot of research. It is true that excessive caffeine intake is harmful to both the baby and the mother during pregnancy. However, moderate caffeine intake is usually harmless and in some cases may even be beneficial.
