How Much Caffeine Is Safe During Pregnancy? What 200 mg Looks Like

How much caffeine is safe during pregnancy?

200 milligrams (mg) a day or less. The NHS says to have no more than 200 mg a day, and ACOG says less than 200 mg a day does not appear to be a major contributing factor in miscarriage or preterm birth.

The FDA's figure of 400 mg a day is for most adults. For anyone pregnant or trying to become pregnant, the FDA recommends asking a health care provider whether to limit caffeine.

The limit includes caffeine from all sources. ACOG lists tea, chocolate, energy drinks and soft drinks as well as coffee, and the NHS adds guarana, caffeine tablets and some health or fitness supplements.

How many cups of coffee is 200 mg?

About one 12-ounce (355 ml) cup of coffee, by ACOG's count. The real number depends on the cup and the brew.

The FDA puts a 12-ounce cup of regular brewed coffee at 113 to 247 mg, so one cup can go over the limit on its own. A 2022 NICHD summary describes 200 mg as about two 6-ounce (177 ml) cups. The NHS gives 100 mg for a cup of instant coffee and says filter coffee and coffee from coffee shops can contain more.

The FDA points out that restaurants and coffee shops are not required by law to say how much caffeine their drinks contain, and encourages you to ask.

Is decaf coffee OK during pregnancy?

Decaf has less caffeine than regular coffee but still has some: the FDA says decaf coffee typically has 2 to 15 mg in an 8-ounce (237 ml) cup. The FDA says the same of decaf tea, that it has less caffeine than regular tea but is not caffeine-free.

The FDA advises counting all sources of caffeine in your diet, so decaf adds a small amount to your daily total.

How much caffeine is in tea and energy drinks?

The NHS puts a cup of black or green tea at 75 mg. The FDA's figures for a 12-ounce serving are 71 mg for black tea and 37 mg for green tea.

Energy drinks vary the most. The FDA says they generally have 54 to 328 mg per 16 fluid ounces, so a single 16-ounce can may contain more than 200 mg. Most US energy drinks list their total caffeine on the label, including caffeine from ingredients such as guarana, according to the FDA. The FDA also warns that pure and highly concentrated caffeine products can have serious health consequences, including death.

For herbal teas such as peppermint and chamomile, the NHS says to have no more than 4 cups a day, because there is not much research on them in pregnancy, and to avoid teas containing liquorice root. Other drinks to skip are in foods and drinks to avoid during pregnancy.

What happens if you have too much caffeine while pregnant?

The guidance bodies read the evidence differently. ACOG's committee opinion, first issued in 2010 and reaffirmed in 2026, says intake under 200 mg a day does not appear to be a major factor in miscarriage or preterm birth, and that no final conclusion can yet be made on whether high caffeine intake is linked to miscarriage. The NHS says having too much caffeine has been linked to a higher chance of miscarriage and stillbirth. How the overall chance of miscarriage changes over pregnancy is in miscarriage risk by week.

ACOG says the link between caffeine and growth restriction in the womb remains undetermined. A 2021 NIH study of more than 2,000 pregnant women found that those who drank about 50 mg of caffeine a day, roughly half a cup of coffee, had babies about 66 grams (2.3 ounces) lighter than women who had none. Babies of the women with the highest blood caffeine levels at 10 to 13 weeks were on average 84 grams (about 3 ounces) lighter than babies of women with little or none.

The NIH researchers concluded that even moderate caffeine may be associated with slower growth of the fetus, and noted that caffeine is believed to narrow blood vessels in the uterus and placenta, which could reduce the baby's blood supply. A 2022 NIH analysis found that children of women with low caffeine intake in pregnancy were slightly shorter than children of women who had none, by less than an inch. Its authors said more research is needed to know whether that difference affects health.

Caffeine also has effects you may notice yourself. ACOG says it can interfere with sleep, contribute to nausea and light-headedness, and increase urination, which can lead to dehydration. If nausea is already a problem, morning sickness covers what helps.

Should you cut out caffeine completely?

The NHS lists caffeine among the things to limit, to no more than 200 mg a day, and not among the things to avoid. ACOG describes less than 200 mg a day as moderate caffeine consumption. The NIH researcher who led the 2021 study, Katherine Grantz, said it "might be prudent to limit or forego caffeine-containing beverages during pregnancy" until more is known, and advised talking to your doctor about it.

If you decide to cut back, the FDA says it is best to do it gradually, and that caffeine withdrawal is not considered dangerous but can be unpleasant. Check labels too. The FDA says energy bars, ice cream, chewing gum, dietary supplements and over-the-counter medicines may contain added caffeine. Packaged foods must list caffeine among the ingredients when it is added on its own, according to the FDA, but caffeine that comes from an ingredient such as chocolate is not listed separately.

When should you call your doctor or midwife?

• If you have signs of too much caffeine. The FDA lists a fast heart rate, palpitations, high blood pressure, trouble sleeping, anxiety, jitters, upset stomach, nausea and headache. If headaches are the issue, see headaches during pregnancy.
• Right away, if you have taken a pure or highly concentrated caffeine product. The FDA says toxic effects such as seizures can follow rapid intake of around 1,200 mg.
• Before taking any medicine or supplement that contains caffeine. Check with your doctor, midwife or pharmacist first.