While in the past it was thought that drinking coffee during pregnancy was harmful, a new study suggests that low-to-moderate caffeine consumption might be safe. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania studied over 2,500 pregnant women, asking them about the number of caffeinated beverages they drank, taking blood samples to measure caffeine, and following them for the development of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, or hypertension. They found that caffeine consumption during pregnancy wasn’t associated with an increased risk of any of the three conditions, and in fact, women who drank low to moderate amounts of coffee were nearly 50 percent less likely to develop gestational diabetes. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that women shouldn’t exceed more than 200 mg of caffeine during pregnancy, or roughly one 12-ounce coffee per day.
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