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Should pregnant women avoid coffee altogether?

Animal study suggests even low caffeine doses could effect fetus.

Tentative evidence has emerged to suggest that low doses of caffeine, equivalent to just one or two cups of coffee per day, can affect the development of unborn babies.

Read the story here.

Posted by Nicola Jones on October 17, 2006 03:15 PM |

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Since when is "more active and less inhibited" a bad thing?

Posted by: David Welch | October 23, 2006 06:41 PM

Unfortunately, the results are not yet published so that I could look at the original data. At this point, I am confused as to why the conclusion should be to caution pregnant women to avoid caffeine based on what is in this article, however. For anyone wanting to nurture a potential scientist, at least, it seems that being "more willing to explore new environments" and spending "more time interacting with other animals" would be very desirable.

Posted by: Nicola Pohl | October 23, 2006 10:55 PM

I agree with the previous comment. I am also a bit confused by Nunez's comment in the article:

"You have an animal that doesn't know when to stop,"

Are the authors implying that caffeine may cause ADD?.

Are these behavioural changes long-lasting?. That is, do this animals still exhibit this behavious once they become adults, or does the behaviour only appears when the mother's caffeine runs out of their system?.

Posted by: Lucia Caceres | October 30, 2006 08:04 PM

I asked the same question as David when I finished reading the article...

Posted by: Caroline Jacques | October 30, 2006 08:29 PM

I agree with this statement! Face it caffine is not only a stimulant but is addictive... Let me ask all thoes that love their cuppa. If you go with out a coffee for a day, do you or do you not have a tension head ache, are irritable and have trouble thinking clear??? If your honest answer is yes, then how do you think a new born would feel from consuming it for 9 months then nothing when born! Dont forget products such as Coke and even a cuppa tea have caffine in it! YOUR CHOICE!!!

Posted by: Christine | August 19, 2007 09:24 AM

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