Caffeine During Pregnancy: Count All Sources

Pregnancy changes the context for caffeine consumption. ACOG's public guidance advises limiting the total to less than 200 milligrams per day. This is guidance for managing intake, not a guarantee of zero risk in every pregnancy or a reason to replace individual advice from a maternity clinician.

Count caffeine from all sources, including coffee, tea, chocolate, soft drinks, energy products and relevant medicines. A cup is an imprecise unit: size, coffee dose and preparation can change the amount considerably. Use available product information rather than assuming every 12-ounce coffee contains exactly 200 milligrams. Decaffeinated coffee usually retains some caffeine and should not automatically be counted as zero.

ACOG notes that moderate intake does not appear to be a major contributor to miscarriage or preterm birth, while its clinical discussion identifies remaining uncertainty about fetal growth. If you need a personal limit, have symptoms or use medicines containing caffeine, ask your clinician or pharmacist. Pregnancy and breastfeeding also require their own guidance; one number should not be transferred automatically between them.