Drinking Soda During Pregnancy: Safety And Alternatives

Can You Drink Soda When Pregnant? Safety And Alternatives

Image: iStock

Soda is a non-alcoholic beverage that many people, including pregnant women, enjoy drinking. The common belief is that sipping soda helps feel refreshed instantaneously and provides energy. Some pregnant women may turn to soda to fight pregnancy fatigue, but regular consumption could be linked with negative health outcomes. So can you drink soda while pregnant, or must you avoid it completely?

Read on as we tell you about the safety and side effects of drinking soda during pregnancy.

In This Article

Is It Okay To Drink Soda During Pregnancy?

Limit the intake of soda during pregnancy

Image: Shutterstock

Drinking a glass of soda once in a while during pregnancy is unlikely to harm you or your baby. However, its frequent consumption could be a cause for concern. Soda is a mixture of carbonated water with sweeteners, such as sucrose or high-fructose corn syrup, natural flavors, and caffeine (1). Since most of these ingredients can bring negative health outcomes, limiting soda intake is better.

Recalling her journey throughout pregnancy, a new mother and ardent blogger says, “I don’t think I had weird cravings, but I did crave most of my favorite things. Like Pepsi, before pregnancy, that was my go-to drink, while I was pregnant, that’s all I felt like drinking. I know they say it’s not good to drink soda while pregnant. Believe me, I tried to cut it out just couldn’t help it I wanted my Pepsi. I tried to keep a healthy diet but still would sneak in my Pepsi and hot sauce all the time, which would result in heartburn (i).”

How Might Caffeine In Soda Affect You And Your Baby?

The caffeine in soda might lead to sleeplessness during pregnancy

Image: Shutterstock

Caffeine and its effects on pregnant women and their babies aren’t quite clear. Some observational studies suggest that excessive caffeine consumption may cause pregnancy loss (miscarriage), low-birth weight, preterm labor, or even stillbirth. However, some other studies don’t concur (2) (3) (4).

Irrespective of the caffeine’s effects, one thing is clear that caffeine clearance during pregnancy slows down significantly. It could make pregnant women more sensitive to caffeine’s side effects, such as those stated below (5).

Acidity
Indigestion
Nausea
Lightheadedness
Jitteriness
Sleeplessness or insomnia

In some cases, caffeine may increase blood pressure and heart rate, increasing the risk of congenital disabilitiesⁱXA structural or functional abnormality present from birth . Also, it can cause frequent urination and increase the risk of UTI (urinary tract infection), raising maternal electrolyte imbalanceⁱXA condition where the body has either excess or not enough minerals and salts in the body and dehydration risk (6). Caffeine can also cross the placenta and reach the fetus. It is not fully known what happens to caffeine when it crosses the placenta and reaches the fetus. However, it may lead to undesired effects, considering that the growing baby does not have the enzymes to metabolize caffeine.

Most healthy pregnant women are advised to limit their caffeine intake to 200mg per day (7). It includes caffeine from soda and all the sources, such as tea, coffee, chocolate, green tea, and certain medications.

How Might Sugar In Soda Affect You And Your Baby?

Sugar-laden soda may lead to gestational diabetes

Image: Shutterstock

Healthy weight gain is crucial for your and your baby’s well-being during pregnancy. For this reason, experts suggest pregnant women avoid or limit the intake of sugar-rich foods and drinks, such as soda. According to several studies, higher consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages can (8):

Suppress a pregnant woman’s appetite for healthy foods.
Cause energy excess, leading to unwanted maternal weight gain and related health concerns, such as preterm birth.

All women undergo insulin resistance during pregnancy. However, those overweight and obese are at an increased risk of continued insulin resistance, resulting in gestational diabetesⁱXPregnancy-specific condition characterized by high blood sugar levels, which may pose a risk of complications (GDM). GDM can increase the risk of large babies, birthing difficulties, and an increased risk of maternal diabetes after delivery (9). Babies born to mothers consuming too many soft drinks during pregnancy may experience the following effects(10).

Increased risk of developing diabetes later in mid-childhood
Adverse effects on cognitive development

Therefore, you should keep the intake of sugary foods and fizzy drinks, such as cola or pop, within limits. It’s critical if you already have GDM or if your obstetrician considers you at a high risk of developing GDM.

Research finds

A study done on 32,000 pregnant women showed that excessive sugar consumption during pregnancy may be linked to an increased risk of preeclampsia (17).

What About Carbonated Water And Flavorings?

Acids in soda may impact oral health adversely

Image: Shutterstock

Carbonated water (without additives and only carbon dioxide) is considered comparable to plain water (11). It may provide hydration as good as plain water and could be considered an alternative when clean potable water is unavailable.

Several types of carbonated water contain flavoring agents such as phosphoric and citric acid. These agents in excess can cause calcium loss from the teeth and bones. It can be a serious issue during pregnancy since surging hormones increase your risk of oral health issues, such as cavities and gingivitis, already. Some carbonated beverages might contain small amounts of benzene, a potential carcinogenⁱXA chemical, organism, or thing that can cause cancer .which can be especially harmful to fetal and maternal health.

Therefore, you may avoid carbonated water during gestation to be on the safe side. If you wish to drink carbonated water, pick those that only contain water and carbon dioxide, with no other additives. Drink them occasionally or not at all.

Is Diet Soda A Better Choice?

Diet soda contains the same ingredients as regular soda, except for sugar. Instead, they contain artificial sweeteners. The US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) approves six artificial sweeteners as food additives — saccharin, acesulfame, aspartame, neotame, sucralose, and advantame (12). While these non-nutritive sweeteners (NNSs) offer minimal to zero calories, not all of them are safe to consume for moms-to-be.

For instance, saccharin (Sweet ‘N Low) is an artificial sweetener that can cross the placenta and stay in fetal tissues, owing to which its use for pregnant women isn’t advisable, as it can potentially harm fetal development (12). Additionally, several studies on pregnant animals show that “NNS consumption has been associated with altered sweet taste preference later in life, elevated body mass index, increased risk of obesity, microbiome dysbiosis, and abnormal liver function tests (13).”

Point to consider

FDA considers Rebaudioside A (Stevia) as a safe artificial sweetener for pregnant women (18).

What Can You Drink Instead Of Soda?

Coconut water may be a healthy replacement for sodas during pregnancy

Image: Shutterstock

The best beverage for hydration is plain water. Experts advise pregnant women to drink 8-12 cups of water every day to maintain prenatal nutrition (14).But sometimes, drinking plain water may get boring and monotonous, and it’s then that you can drink the following instead of soda that also caters to your pregnancy cravings.

Low-fat milk
Buttermilk
Coconut milk
Coconut water
Homemade fruit-infused water

Besides these, you can also consume some types of vegetable and fruit juices and tea, such as green tea, in small amounts as said before, because of the caffeine, and ginger tea. However, consult your doctor before trying any herbal tea since some teas might not be appropriate during pregnancy (15).

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How many sodas can I drink when pregnant?

Since one can of soda contains artificial sweeteners and caffeine within the amounts of the recommended dosage for pregnant women, you may have one can of diet soda per day.

2. Does drinking soda when pregnant cause ADHD?

According to a study, daily soda intake while pregnant may be associated with ADHD in the child. However, you should consult your OB/Gyn to confirm its effects to continue enjoying your favorite beverage (16).

3. Are there any health benefits to drinking soda during pregnancy?

Besides making one feel refreshed, soda does not impart any health benefits to pregnant women.

4. Can soda consumption during pregnancy lead to complications during childbirth?

According to a study, consumption of sweetened carbonated beverages could be associated with low birth weight in babies (19). Nevertheless, it is important to note that several other factors, such as maternal glucose tolerance levels, smoking status, and other fetal growth factors, might also influence infant birth weight.

An occasional soda is usually unlikely to harm you or your baby. However, avoid having it frequently or making it part of your maternal diet. The high caffeine and sugar content may cause adverse effects on the fetus over time. Diet sodas are not any better due to their artificial sweeteners. Explore other safe beverages, such as milk or coconut water, and stick to plain water for safe hydration during pregnancy.

Infographic: Fruit-Infused Water To Stay Hydrated During Pregnancy

Fruit-infused water can be an ideal replacement for soda during pregnancy. These refreshing and flavorful drinks will help you keep adequately hydrated while satisfying your palate. Go through the infographic below for some easy recipes.

refreshing fruit infused water recipes for pregnancy (infographic)

Key Pointers

Some pregnant women consume soda to combat fatigue.
However, soda being a carbonated drink might be unsafe during pregnancy.
Pregnant women are at risk of side effects from soda, including insomnia, indigestion, nausea, and dizziness.
Moreover, consuming soda might put you at higher risk of pregnancy-related complications such as diabetes, weight gain, and preterm birth.

Personal Experience: Source

MomJunction articles include first-hand experiences to provide you with better insights through real-life narratives. Here are the sources of personal accounts referenced in this article.

i. Life as a new mom during pregnancy.
https://lizlivlivn.blogspot.com/2018/11/during-pregnancy.html

References

MomJunction's articles are written after analyzing the research works of expert authors and institutions. Our references consist of resources established by authorities in their respective fields. You can learn more about the authenticity of the information we present in our editorial policy.