The effects of maternal caffeine and chocolate intake on fetal heart rate
- PMID: 22502981
- DOI: 10.3109/14767058.2011.636104
The effects of maternal caffeine and chocolate intake on fetal heart rate
Abstract
Objective: The aim of our study was to analyze the effects of caffeine and chocolate (70% cocoa) on fetal heart rate (FHR).
Study design: Fifty pregnant women with uncomplicated gestation, matched for age and parity, underwent computerized FHR recording before and after the consumption of caffeine and then, after one week, before and after 70% cocoa chocolate intake. Computerized cardiotocography (cCTG) parameters were expressed as mean and SD. The differences were tested for statistical significance using the paired t-test, with significance at p < 0.05.
Results: The number of uterine contraction peaks, the number of small and large accelerations (10 and 15 beats per minute for 15 seconds), the duration of episodes of high variation and the short-term FHR variation were significantly higher (p < 0.001) after maternal coffee intake. The number of large accelerations, the duration of episodes of high variation and the short-term FHR variation were significantly higher (p < 0.001) after maternal consumption of chocolate, whilst no effect of cocoa was found during contractions.
Conclusions: Our results suggest that maternal intake of both caffeine and 70% cocoa have a stimulating action on fetal reactivity. This finding is likely due to the pharmacological action of theobromine, a methilxanthine present in coffee and in chocolate. The correlation between maternal caffeine intake and increased uterine contraction peaks is likely due to the effect of caffeine on the uterine muscle.
Similar articles
-
Factors that increase reactivity during fetal nonstress testing.Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol. 2014 Apr;26(2):61-6. doi: 10.1097/GCO.0000000000000050. Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol. 2014. PMID: 24614020 Review.
-
Female fetuses are more reactive when mother eats chocolate.J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2014 Jan;27(1):72-4. doi: 10.3109/14767058.2013.804053. Epub 2013 Jun 20. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2014. PMID: 23662674
-
The effects of different concentrations of cocoa in the chocolate intaken by the mother on fetal heart rate.J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2013 Oct;26(15):1465-7. doi: 10.3109/14767058.2013.783813. Epub 2013 Apr 22. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2013. PMID: 23480746
-
Computerized analysis of heart rate in fetuses from mothers under levothyroxin treatment.Gynecol Endocrinol. 2009 Oct;25(10):679-82. doi: 10.1080/09513590903015452. Gynecol Endocrinol. 2009. PMID: 19544116
-
Teratogen update: evaluation of the reproductive and developmental risks of caffeine.Teratology. 2001 Jul;64(1):51-78. doi: 10.1002/tera.1047. Teratology. 2001. PMID: 11410911 Review.
Cited by
-
Maternal Caffeine Consumption and Its Impact on the Fetus: A Review.Cureus. 2023 Nov 4;15(11):e48266. doi: 10.7759/cureus.48266. eCollection 2023 Nov. Cureus. 2023. PMID: 37929268 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Factors Associated with the Prevalence and Severity of Menstrual-Related Symptoms: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Dec 29;20(1):569. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20010569. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022. PMID: 36612891 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Prevalence of primary dysmenorrhea and its effect on the quality of life amongst female medical students at King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study.Saudi Med J. 2020 Mar;41(3):283-289. doi: 10.15537/smj.2020.3.24988. Saudi Med J. 2020. PMID: 32114601 Free PMC article.
-
Assessment of autonomic function in the late term fetus: The effects of sex and state.Dev Psychobiol. 2020 Mar;62(2):224-231. doi: 10.1002/dev.21865. Epub 2019 May 24. Dev Psychobiol. 2020. PMID: 31127614 Free PMC article.
-
Association of tea drinking and dysmenorrhoea among reproductive-age women in Shanghai, China (2013-2015): a cross-sectional study.BMJ Open. 2019 Apr 8;9(4):e026643. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-026643. BMJ Open. 2019. PMID: 30962237 Free PMC article.
Publication types
MeSH terms
Substances
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Medical
Miscellaneous