Will eating coffee beans affect my pregnancy?

I am into my third pregnancy and I am addicted to eating coffee berries (Empokota). Is this bad since I have taken these beans during previous pregnancies with no effects?

Jane
Dear Jane,
Some pregnant women develop a craving to eat different types of food substances including raw mangoes and in your case, coffee berries while others crave for non-food substances including clay, or soil (PICA). Much as cravings may have a cultural or ethnic component, they may also indicate lack of a certain nutrient whose crave is the body’s way of forcing a mother to take what she is deficient in.

Coffee berries or coffee powder contains caffeine (also found in tea, soda, chocolate, energy drinks and some over-the-counter concoctions for headache) which in animal studies has been found to cause birth defects, premature labour and delivery, reduced fertility, and increase the risk of low-birth weight babies.
Just like pica may expose the foetus to lead poisoning that may damage the nervous system, taking too much caffeine (coffee) in pregnancy, because of the said risks should be avoided.

Much as moderate levels of caffeine have not been found to have a negative effect on pregnancy, the amount of caffeine likely to cause health problems differs in different women, the reason it is important to avoid taking any caffeine at all.
Much as you did not get any pregnancy complications out of eating coffee berries in your previous pregnancies, you may not be as lucky this time.