The study found that children whose mothers consumed caffeine while pregnant did not have lower IQs or more behavioral problems when compared to children of women who did not consume caffeinated substances during their pregnancy, writes Live Science.
The researchers wrote that they found no evidence that consumption of coffee, or other caffeinated beverages, during pregnancy had a negative effect on cognition or behaviors of children they studied at ages 4 or 7.
"Taken as a whole, we consider our results to be reassuring for pregnant women who consume moderate amounts of caffeine, or the equivalent to one or two cups of coffee per day," Sarah Keim, an assistant professor of pediatrics and epidemiology at The Ohio State University College of Medicine and co-author of the study, said in a statement.
The researchers analyzed the amount of compound, paraxanthine, found in the blood samples of 2,197 pregnant women that were taken at two different stages of their pregnancies. When caffeine is consumed, the body breaks the substance down into a series of compounds - one of which is paraxanthine. The samples were taken from participants who were part of the Collaborative Perinatal Project, a 25-year study looking at the links between perinatal factors in pregnancy and child health. Paraxanthine levels were compared with IQ and behavior of children when they were aged 4 and 7 years old.
The researchers noted that samples were collected between 1959 and 1974, a period of time when pregnant women were more likely to consume coffee. By using this time period, the researchers were provided with a wider range of caffeine-intake levels compared to if they had taken their samples during more recent times, the researchers wrote.
This study adds to a growing number of studies that suggest the consumption of coffee in moderation could be safe during pregnancy.
A study published in 2012 found that the consumption of caffeine had no effect on whether babies were more likely to wake up at night.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has also published its views on coffee consumption, stating that consumption should be moderate - defined as one to two cups of coffee, or less than 200 milligrams per day - to ensure a safe pregnancy. The organization also notes the effects of large amounts of caffeine consumption during pregnancy is unclear.
The study was published in the American Journal of Epidemiology.
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