Studies by the National Institutes of Health suggest that women who consume as little as 50 milligrams of caffeine per day (about half a cup of coffee) on average have had slightly smaller babies than pregnant women who did not drink caffeine during pregnancy. The researchers found reductions in size and lean body mass for infants whose mothers followed the recommendation of no more than 200 milligrams per day, though the results have been mixed. A smaller birth size can increase your baby’s risk of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes later in life. If you are pregnant, doctors suggest consulting your physician about caffeine consumption.

Pregnant women who consumed the caffeine equivalent of as little as half a cup of coffee a day on average had slightly smaller babies than pregnant women who did not consume caffeinated beverages, according to a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health. The researchers found corresponding reductions in size and lean body mass for infants whose mothers consumed below the 200 milligrams of caffeine per day