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How Much is Too Much?
Indulging Your Pregnant Whims
By Katherine Bontrager
it and ask herself, 'Does my baby really need this?'"
Doctors Cole and Nelson agree that fast food or other junk foods are one urge expectant moms should try to avoid. "There is good information that a woman's body mass index at the beginning of pregnancy significantly influences the health of the baby," the doctors report. "Women who are overweight or underweight for height will have babies that are at greater risk for birth defects and growth abnormalities. Women should seek to avoid junk food since this typically is highly caloric with little nutritional value. Eating and exercising to achieve a normal body mass index at the time of conception helps optimize pregnancy outcome. If women are chronic junk food eaters, they should seek to change this behavior before they conceive."
Fortunately, caffeine fares slightly better as an indulgence, which is welcome news to those dependent on their morning coffee fix. "I'm asked about the safety of caffeine all the time," Stein says. "Caffeine is not associated with birth defects but is associated with increased heart rate in the fetus and the mom as well. So I recommend decaffeinated coffee or tea, or if the patient chooses to ignore my advice, I urge them to add a lot of skim milk so the exposure to caffeine is minimal. One to three diluted, caffeinated drinks a day won't really hurt the fetus."
Both Doctors Cole and Nelson report that caffeine intake, in moderation, doesn't appear to increase the risk to the developing baby. "Up to two cups of coffee per day [8 ounces per cup] or 300 milligrams of caffeine per day are generally regarded as safe," they say. "Tea contains about 50 percent of the caffeine per ounce [n average] as coffee, soft drinks about 33 percent and one ounce of chocolate contains anywhere from 6 milligrams [milk chocolate] to 26 milligrams [baker's chocolate]."
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