Pregnancy coffees may lead to heavier children

PREGNANT women who drink too much coffee are more likely to have overweight children, according to a study.

Children of mothers who drank more than three cups a day were found to be more than a pound heavier by the age of eight than those of women who consumed little or no caffeine.

The Norwegian Institute of Public Health studied 51,000 women over nine years and discovered a linear link between the consumption of coffee and larger children. NHS advice is that women drink no more than 200mg of caffeine per day, or two cups. But the Norwegian study found complete avoidance may be advisable.

The body takes longer to get rid of caffeine during pregnancy. It has been linked to a greater risk of miscarriage and restricted foetal growth. The research was published in the journal BMJ Open.