Mendelian randomization study of maternal coffee consumption and its influence on birthweight, stillbirth, miscarriage, gestational age and pre-term birth.

Caroline Brito Nunes, Peiyuan Huang, Geng Wang, Mischa Lundberg, Shannon D'Urso, Robyn E Wootton, Maria Carolina Borges, Deborah A Lawlor, Nicole M Warrington, David M Evans, Liang-Dar Hwang, Gunn-Helen Moen

Journal: International journal of epidemiology 2023;52(1):165-177

PMID: 35679582

Free Full Text on PubMed Central View on PubMed

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Coffee consumption has been associated with several adverse pregnancy outcomes, although data from randomized-controlled trials are lacking. We investigate whether there is a causal relationship between coffee consumption and miscarriage, stillbirth, birthweight, gestational age and pre-term birth using Mendelian randomization (MR).

METHODS

A two-sample MR study was performed using summary results data from a genome-wide association meta-analysis of coffee consumption (N = 91 462) from the Coffee and Caffeine Genetics Consortium. Outcomes included self-reported miscarriage (N = 49 996 cases and 174 109 controls from a large meta-analysis); the number of stillbirths [N = 60 453 from UK Biobank (UKBB)]; gestational age and pre-term birth (N = 43 568 from the 23andMe, Inc cohort) and birthweight (N = 297 356 reporting own birthweight and N = 210 248 reporting offspring's birthweight from UKBB and the Early Growth Genetics Consortium). Additionally, a one-sample genetic risk score (GRS) analysis of coffee consumption in UKBB women (N up to 194 196) and the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (N up to 6845 mothers and 4510 children) and its relationship with offspring outcomes was performed.

RESULTS

Both the two-sample MR and one-sample GRS analyses showed no change in risk of sporadic miscarriages, stillbirths, pre-term birth or effect on gestational age connected to coffee consumption. Although both analyses showed an association between increased coffee consumption and higher birthweight, the magnitude of the effect was inconsistent.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that coffee consumption during pregnancy might not itself contribute to adverse outcomes such as stillbirth, sporadic miscarriages and pre-term birth or lower gestational age or birthweight of the offspring.

Address: School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.; Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.; Population Health Science, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.; The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.; Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.; Nic Waals Institute, Lovisenberg Diaconal Hospital, Oslo, Norway.; Department of Public Health and Nursing, K.G. Jebsen Center for Genetic Epidemiology, NTNU, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.; Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.

DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyac121

Link outs

Free resources

Full Text Sources:

Medical:

https://medlineplus.gov/miscarriage.html

Subscription / membership required

Full Text Sources:

MeSH Terms: Pregnancy, Child, Humans, Female, Birth Weight, Stillbirth, Coffee, Abortion, Spontaneous, Gestational Age, Longitudinal Studies, Mendelian Randomization Analysis, Genome-Wide Association Study, Term Birth