Health aNd Fitness Guide

Women who consume 200 milligrams or more of caffeine (equivalent to 2 or more cups of coffee) a day may double their risk of miscarriage. Even women who consume less than 200 milligrams may have a 40 per cent chance of miscarriage, says a new study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Researchers at the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Oakland, California, quizzed 1,063 pregnant women about their caffeine intake. The rate of miscarriage among 164 women who consumed 200 milligrams or more of caffeine daily was 24.5 per cent compared to the 12.5 per cent among women who avoided caffeine. There was no difference in the results whether the source of the caffeine was coffee, tea or sodas.