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Coffee and fetal death: a cohort study with prospective data
Bodil Hammer Bech1, Ellen Aagaard Nohr, Michael Vaeth
1Danish Epidemiology Science Centre, Department of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, Institute of Public Health, University of Aarhus, Aarhus, Denmark. bhb@soci.au.dk
American Journal of Epidemiology
|October 7, 2005
Summary
High coffee consumption during pregnancy is linked to an increased risk of fetal death, particularly after 20 weeks gestation. This finding highlights potential risks associated with maternal caffeine intake.
Area of Science:
- Perinatal epidemiology
- Reproductive health research
- Maternal-fetal medicine
Background:
- Maternal coffee consumption is a common behavior during pregnancy.
- Previous studies have yielded conflicting results regarding coffee intake and pregnancy outcomes.
- Understanding the association between coffee and fetal death is crucial for public health guidance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between maternal coffee consumption and the risk of late fetal death.
- To differentiate the risk of fetal death occurring before and after 20 weeks of gestation.
Main Methods:
- A large prospective cohort study involving 88,482 pregnant women in the Danish National Birth Cohort.
- Data collection through interviews on coffee consumption and confounding factors.
- Pregnancy outcomes ascertained via the National Hospital Discharge Register and medical records.
Main Results:
- A total of 1,102 fetal deaths were recorded.
- Increased coffee consumption was associated with a higher risk of fetal death.
- Adjusted hazard ratios for fetal death increased with higher coffee intake (e.g., ≥8 cups/day: 1.59 [95% CI: 1.19, 2.13]).
Conclusions:
- Maternal coffee consumption is associated with an elevated risk of fetal death.
- The association is particularly pronounced for fetal losses occurring after 20 weeks of gestation.
- Reverse causation may explain early fetal death associations, but not later losses.