Coffee drinking has generally been viewed as one of those iffy things,
probably OK but better if you don't, for the typical pregnant woman. New
data on coffee drinking and a plasma homocysteine indicates that filtered
coffee is likely safer than unfiltered coffee. According to Am J Clin Nutr
2000 Feb;71(2):480-4, people who drank coffee filtered through paper
filters had lower levels of plasma homocysteine. The group of researchers
was looking at this effect because elevated plasma homocysteine is
associated with heart disease, although exactly why is unclear.
Homocysteine is an amino acid that is used up when folic acid is
metabolized, with any excess being dumped into the blood stream or plasma.
For the pregnant woman, having an elevated plasma homocysteine has been
associated in some studies with complications of pregnancy, especially
placental vascular abnormalities associated with repeat early pregnancy
loss and complications of late pregnancy such as abruptio placentae or
placental infarction with fetal growth restriction. See Am J Obstet Gynecol
2000, May 182(5):1258-1263 (Folic acid and B vitamins will also reduce
plasma homocysteine). Pregnant women concerned about possible negative
effects of coffee but who are unwilling to give up their favorite drink,
may want to consider giving up the cafetiere (French press) for the filter
as a precautionary measure.
-Anon.
Reprinted from Midwifery Today E-News (Vol 2 Issue 21 May 26, 2000)
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