Free family guide · Healthy pregnancy

Caffeine during pregnancy

MedlinePlus says to keep caffeine under 200 mg a day, about 1 to 2 small cups of coffee or tea.[1]

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Sources on this page: MedlinePlus; NHS; ACOG

This page shares what health organizations say. It is not medical advice. It is general information. Talk to your doctor, midwife or pediatrician about your own situation.

In an emergency, call 911.

How much

Sources differ

Sources give the same limit with different examples:[1][2]

  • MedlinePlus says to keep caffeine under 200 mg a day, about 1 to 2 small cups of coffee or tea.[1]
  • The NHS gives a limit of 200 mg a day, and says a mug of instant coffee has about 100 mg and a mug of tea about 75 mg.[2]

ACOG also says to keep total caffeine at or under 200 mg a day.[3]

Other tips from the NHS

The NHS suggests swapping some tea and coffee for other drinks.[4]

For sleep, it suggests avoiding tea, coffee or cola in the evening.[5]

For heartburn, it suggests less caffeine.[6]

ACOG says caffeine withdrawal is one cause of headaches in pregnancy.[3]

Questions families ask

How many cups of coffee a day are OK in pregnancy?

MedlinePlus says to keep caffeine under 200 mg a day, about 1 to 2 small cups of coffee or tea.[1]

Does tea have caffeine?

The NHS says a mug of tea has about 75 mg of caffeine.[2]

Free from UpOnly Learning. Written for families of every faith. No outside ads and no affiliate links. Every fact on this page comes from the sources listed below. How we source and review these pages

Updated 2026-10-24: first published.

Sources

All sources were opened and checked on the date shown.

  1. MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine). Caffeine in the diet. Checked October 24, 2026.
  2. NHS (United Kingdom). Foods to avoid in pregnancy. Checked October 24, 2026.
  3. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Headaches and Pregnancy. Checked October 24, 2026.
  4. NHS (United Kingdom). 23 weeks pregnant guide. Checked October 24, 2026.
  5. NHS (United Kingdom). Tiredness and sleep problems in pregnancy. Checked October 24, 2026.
  6. NHS (United Kingdom). 25 weeks pregnant guide. Checked October 24, 2026.