Foetal response to maternal coffee intake: role of habitual versus non-habitual caffeine consumption.
Little is known about the effect on the human foetus of long-term and acute exposure to caffeine. We studied the organisation of foetal sleep-wake states in 13 healthy near-term foetuses over a wide range of maternal plasma caffeine concentrations (0-13 μg/mL) reflecting normal lifestyle conditions (day 0) and again following intake of two cups of regular coffee (~300 mg of caffeine) intermitted by 50 h of abstinence (day 2; acute effects). On either day, 2 h simultaneous recordings were made of foetal heart rate, general-, eye-, and breathing-movements. The recordings were analysed for the presence of each of four foetal behavioural states: quiet- and active-sleep, quiet- and active-wakefulness. There was a linear relationship between maternal caffeine content and the incidence of foetal general movements during active sleep on day 0 (R = 0.74; P < 0.02). After coffee loading on day 2, foetuses of non- or low-caffeine consumers showed increases in active wakefulness (P < 0.001), general movements (P < 0.05) and heart rate variation (P < 0.01) but lower basal heart rate (P < 0.01) compared with their day 0 values. The changes in foetal heart rate (variation) and behaviour occurred between 90 and 180 min post-consumption. In contrast, foetuses of habitual caffeine consumers remained unaffected suggestive of foetal tolerance to caffeine. The results indicate differential performance between foetuses regularly exposed to caffeine and those caffeine-naive, both under normal maternal lifestyle conditions and in response to maternal coffee ingestion.
Mulder
E J H
EJ
Department of Perinatology and Gynecology, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Centre, Utrecht, The Netherlands. emulder@umcutrecht.nl
Tegaldo
L
L
Bruschettini
P
P
Visser
G H A
GH
D000328:Adult; D002110:Caffeine / Q000097:blood*; D003069:Coffee / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005324:Fetal Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D005333:Fetus / Q000187:drug effects*; D006340:Heart Rate, Fetal / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects; D020178:Sleep Disorders, Circadian Rhythm / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors; D014851:Wakefulness / Q000187:drug effects; D055815:Young Adult
D003069:Coffee; D002110:Caffeine