Impacts of Caffeine during Pregnancy

A growing, robust body of evidence from both epidemiological and animal studies unveils harmful effects of maternal gestational caffeine exposure, even from doses previously considered 'safe.' Rodent studies revealed that caffeine exposure during specific stages of pregnancy may disrupt embryo transport, embryo development, embryo implantation, and placental function, leading to pregnancy complications. Notably, caffeine sensitivity is highly variable from individual to individual. Genetic variations and epigenetic regulation, intermingling with intrinsic and environmental factors, might play pivotal roles in shaping the complex phenotypic variability. Exploring the underlying mechanism(s) will be helpful, not only for improving the guidelines of gestational caffeine consumption, but also for personalized dosing of drugs that interact with caffeine at the pharmacokinetic or pharmacodynamic level. Evidence from rodent studies demonstrated that in utero caffeine exposure triggered cardiometabolic defects on both the immediate offspring and subsequent generations. Further studies are needed regarding caffeine's long-term effects and multigenerational influence in humans.