title: Effect of reducing caffeine intake on birth weight and length of gestation: randomised controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the effect of reducing caffeine intake during pregnancy on birth weight and length of gestation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomised double blind controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Denmark.
  
  
  METHODS
  1207 pregnant women drinking at least three cups of coffee a day, recruited before 20 weeks' gestation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Caffeinated instant coffee (568 women) or decaffeinated instant coffee (629 women).
  
  
  METHODS
  Birth weight and length of gestation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data on birth weight were obtained for 1150 liveborn singletons and on length of gestation for 1153 liveborn singletons. No significant differences were found for mean birth weight or mean length of gestation between women in the decaffeinated coffee group (whose mean caffeine intake was 182 mg lower than that of the other group) and women in the caffeinated coffee group. After adjustment for length of gestation, parity, prepregnancy body mass index, and smoking at entry to the study the mean birth weight of babies born to women in the decaffeinated group was 16 g (95% confidence interval -40 to 73) higher than those born to women in the caffeinated group. The adjusted difference (decaffeinated group-caffeinated group) of length of gestation was -1.31 days (-2.87 to 0.25).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A moderate reduction in caffeine intake in the second half of pregnancy has no effect on birth weight or length of gestation.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Clinical Trials NCT00131690 [ClinicalTrials.gov].
authors.affiliation: Institute of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, University of Aarhus, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark. bhb@soci.au.dk
authors.forename: Bodil Hammer
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Bech
authors.forename: Carsten
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Obel
authors.forename: Tine Brink
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Henriksen
authors.forename: Jørn
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Olsen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D002110:Caffeine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003069:Coffee / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000209:etiology*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome
chemical_list: D003069:Coffee; D002110:Caffeine