There is not enough evidence to say for certain that caffeine can cause fertility problems. But caffeine can reduce the chance of assisted reproduction procedures (such as IVF) being successful.
Consuming too much caffeine in pregnancy can be linked to serious complications, such as low birth weight, miscarriage, and stillbirth.
Limit your caffeine intake
The Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists recommend that you limit your caffeine intake to as little as possible during pregnancy. This means less than 200 milligrams (mg) per day (the equivalent of two mugs of instant coffee.)
If you are trying to get pregnant (conceive), it’s a good idea to start limiting your caffeine now.
Be aware that other drinks such as tea and energy drinks also contain caffeine. Chocolate does too.
Herbal teas
There’s been very little research into herbal teas, and it is unlikely that drinking them will help you to get pregnant.
The caffeine content can vary quite widely between different brands of herbal tea.
Some of the herbs used in herbal tea can also be potentially dangerous if you have a lot of them during pregnancy, especially during the first trimester.
It is best to avoid herbal tea while you are trying to get pregnant and during pregnancy.
Does caffeine affect male fertility?
There is not enough evidence to say for certain that caffeine can cause fertility problems in men.
There is some medical evidence that if both biological parents have too much caffeine while trying to get pregnant the risk of miscarriage increases.
Find out more about male fertility.
Calculate your caffeine intake with this pregnancy caffeine calculator.
