Is Coffee safe during pregnancy?

Drinks

Limit caffeine to 200 mg a day

The NHS says to have no more than 200 mg of caffeine a day; ICMR-NIN says caffeine should be minimised in pregnancy.[1,2,3]

What official sources say

NHS: Foods to avoid in pregnancy

  • Caffeine › Things to limit: Caffeine should be limited in pregnancy to no more than 200 mg a day.[1]
  • Estimated amount of caffeine in common foods and drinks: A cup of instant coffee contains an estimated 100 mg of caffeine, and filter or coffee-shop coffee can contain more.[1]
  • Drinks › Drinks to limit: Caffeinated drinks, such as coffee, tea, cola and some energy drinks, should be limited so that you have no more than 200 mg of caffeine a day.[1]
  • Too much caffeine has been linked to a higher chance of miscarriage and stillbirth.[1]

ICMR-NIN: Dietary Guidelines for Indians 2024

  • Too much coffee, tea or other caffeinated drinks harms the baby's growth, so caffeine should be kept to a minimum in pregnancy. (p. 18)[2]
  • Among its don'ts for pregnancy: do not have tea, coffee or other caffeinated drinks with meals or soon after them. (p. 17)[2]

FSANZ: Pregnancy and healthy eating

  • While consuming large amounts of caffeine does not appear to cause birth defects, it may make it more difficult to become pregnant. It may also increase the risk of miscarriage or having a baby with low birth weight.[3]

Related general rules

ICMR-NIN: Dietary Guidelines for Indians 2024

  • Tea and coffee should be taken in moderation so that caffeine stays within the tolerable limit of 300 mg a day (a general-population figure). (p. 91) (general-population advice, not specific to pregnancy)[2]

Nutrition per 100 g (USDA)

Energy1 kcal
Protein0.12 g
Fibre0 g
Sugars0 g
Iron0.01 mg
Calcium2 mg
Folate (DFE)2 µg
Folate, total2 µg
Vitamin A (RAE)0 µg
Vitamin C0 mg
Vitamin D0 µg
Vitamin B120 µg
Choline2.6 mg
DHA (omega-3)0 g
EPA (omega-3)0 g
Caffeine40 mg
Sodium2 mg

USDA FoodData Central: Beverages, coffee, brewed, prepared with tap water (FDC ID 171890), per 100 g. Public domain. Values describe that USDA record; composition varies with variety and preparation.

Sources

  1. NHS: Foods to avoid in pregnancy · nhs.uk. Paraphrased. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (OGL v3.0). Not endorsed by the NHS.
  2. ICMR-NIN: Dietary Guidelines for Indians 2024 · nin.res.in. Printed pages 17, 18, 91. Paraphrased and cited by printed page; the text is not reproduced.
  3. FSANZ: Pregnancy and healthy eating · foodstandards.gov.au. © Food Standards Australia New Zealand, licensed under CC BY 4.0; quoted. No endorsement implied.

Sources checked 26 September 2026.

Quotes are checked word for word against each source page, and paraphrases against the original text. Official bodies are named as sources only: none of them reviewed or endorses this page.

Educational information, not medical advice. Your own doctor or midwife may advise differently for you — follow their advice.