AFP: Pregnant women should keep consumption of coffee, tea and cola to a minimum, according to a study published on Monday that sees a link between caffeine intake and low birthweight among babies.

Researchers recruited 2,635 women at between eight and 12 weeks of pregnancy, asked them about their dietary habits and monitored them for caffeine in their saliva at checkups.

Women who took between 100 and 199 milligrams of caffeine per day faced a 20 percent increased risk of having a baby with a relatively lower birth weight compared with counterparts whose intake was less than 100 mg per day.

For those who had an intake of 200-299 mg per day, the risk rose to 40%, and for those over 300 mg per day, it was 50%.

Birthweight is a widely used benchmark of health, especially for diabetes and heart disease.

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