Effect of reducing caffeine intake on birth weight and length of gestation: randomised controlled trial
Open accessAbstract
OBJECTIVE: To estimate the effect of reducing caffeine intake during pregnancy on birth weight and length of gestation. DESIGN: Randomised double blind controlled trial. SETTING: Denmark. PARTICIPANTS: 1207 pregnant women drinking at least three cups of coffee a day, recruited before 20 weeks' gestation. INTERVENTIONS: Caffeinated instant coffee (568 women) or decaffeinated instant coffee (629 women). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Birth weight and length of gestation. RESULTS: Data on birth weight were obtained for 1150 liveborn singletons and on length of gestation for 1153 liveborn singletons. No significant differences were found for mean birth weight or mean length of gestation between women in the decaffeinated coffee group (whose mean caffeine intake was 182 mg lower than that of the other group) and women in the caffeinated coffee group. After adjustment for length of gestation, parity, prepregnancy body mass index, and smoking at entry to the study the mean birth weight of babies born to women in the decaffeinated group was 16 g (95% confidence interval -40 to 73) higher than those born to women in the caffeinated group. The adjusted difference (decaffeinated group-caffeinated group) of length of gestation was -1.31 days (-2.87 to 0.25). CONCLUSION: A moderate reduction in caffeine intake in the second half of pregnancy has no effect on birth weight or length of gestation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical Trials NCT00131690 [ClinicalTrials.gov].
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In the Bech et al. (2007) RCT, after adjustment, the mean birth weight of babies born to women in the decaffeinated coffee group was 16 g (95% CI -40 to 73 g) higher than those born to women in the caffeinated group.
“After adjustment for length of gestation, parity, pre-pregnancy body mass index and smoking at baseline, the mean birth weight of babies born to women in the decaffeinated coffee group was 16 g (95 % CI = -40 to 73 g), which was higher than those born to women in the caffeinated group.”
From Scientific Opinion on the safety of caffeine (2015) · cites this paper as Bech et al., 2007
In the Bech et al. (2007) RCT, the adjusted difference in length of gestation between the decaffeinated and caffeinated coffee groups was -1.31 days (95% CI -2.87 to 0.25).
“The adjusted difference in length of gestation between the decaffeinated and caffeinated coffee groups was -1.31 days (-2.87 to 0.25).”
From Scientific Opinion on the safety of caffeine (2015) · cites this paper as Bech et al., 2007
Decreasing caffeine intake from about 300 mg per day to about 100 mg per day in the third trimester of pregnancy does not decrease the risk, as observed in one human intervention study (Bech et al., 2007).
“decreasing caffeine intake from about 300 mg per day to about 100 mg per day in the third trimester of pregnancy does not decrease the risk, as observed in one human intervention study (Bech et al., 2007).”
From Scientific Opinion on the safety of caffeine (2015) · cites this paper as Bech et al., 2007
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Scientific Opinion on the safety of caffeine
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“Two Cochrane systematic reviews addressing the effects of maternal caffeine consumption during pregnancy on fetal, neonatal and/or pregnancy outcomes, conducted four years apart (Jahanfar and Sharifah, 2009; Jahanfar and Jaafar, 2013), identified only one human intervention study which addressed this topic (Bech et al…”
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- Authors
- Bech, B. H., Obel, C., Henriksen, T. B., & Olsen, J.
- Affiliations
- Aarhus University (DK)
- Aarhus University Hospital (DK)
- University of California, Los Angeles (US)
- Corresponding author
- Bech, Bodil Hammer
- Venue
- BMJ
- Publisher
- BMJ
- Published
- 2007-01-26
- Volume
- 334
- Issue
- 7590
- Pages
- 409
- ISSN
- 0007-1447 (ISSN-L)
- 0959-8138
- 1468-5833
- OpenAlex
- W2156976674
- Cited by
- 135
- References
- 34
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 15 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 5
- FWCI
- 9.58
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- BMJ (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- HighWire Press Open Archive (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- March of Dimes Foundation
- National Research Foundation
- Danmarks Grundforskningsfond
- Augustinus Fonden
- Egmont Fonden
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Coffee research and impacts
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Prenatal Substance Exposure Effects
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Pregnancy and Medication Impact
- Keywords
- caffeine consumption, pregnancy, birth weight, gestation length, decaffeinated coffee, instant coffee, coffee consumption
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Birth Weight, Caffeine, Coffee, Double-Blind Method, Female, Gestational Age, Humans, Patient Compliance, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Complications, Pregnancy Outcome, Maternal Exposure
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