Can you drink Coke and Diet Coke when pregnant?

Find out if it's safe to drink Coke and Diet Coke during pregnancy. Plus, precautions to take to keep you and your baby healthy.

For so many of us, Diet Coke and Coke are a simple everyday pleasure. But is it OK to drink them while pregnant? You might be wondering if it could have an effect on your baby or increase the chances of miscarriage. We look at the evidence and advice.

The official advice on drinking Coke and Diet Coke during pregnancy

The concerns about Coca-Cola and Diet Coke during pregnancy focus on certain ingredients: artificial sweeteners, caffeine and sugar.

Pregnancy and aspartame in Diet Coke

Aspartame, an artificial sweetener 200 times sweeter than sugar, is used in Diet Coke.

News that the World Health Organisation will soon be labelling aspartame as 'possibly carcinogenic' – which has led many women who are pregnant or trying to conceive wondering if they need to ditch the drink.

Aspartame is deemed safe overall in the UK.

Some organisations have raised questions about the effect of aspartame and other artificial sweeteners during pregnancy on things like gut biome. But official sources including the NHS and the US Food and Drug Administration deem it ok.

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It's a good idea to restrict your consumption of artificial sweeteners to 'acceptable daily intake standards' – which, according to a 2014 study, suggests isn't harmful.

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Note: Aspartame is not suitable for people with phenylketonuria (PKU), a rare inherited condition. The NHS states: 'This is because aspartame contains phenylalanine, which people with PKU cannot metabolise.'

Coke, Diet Coke and caffeine

The NHS recommends limiting your daily caffeine intake to 200mg a day while you're pregnant. High levels of caffeine could lead to low birthweight and have also been linked to miscarriage.

That's why you might want to avoid your regular soda – so you can avoid the extra caffeine.

A can of regular (sometimes called 'full-fat') Coke contains 35mg of caffeine. Diet Coke contains 46mg of caffeine per can. (You can find the caffeine content of other popular drinks here.)

So in terms of caffeine, a can of Coke or Diet Coke is within the recommended limits.

However you won't want to slug them all day.

(Keep in mind too the other sources of caffeine in your diet, including coffee, dark chocolate and green tea.)

Coke, sugar and pregnancy

In general experts recommend we stay away from drinking a lot of soda – mostly because of what they're NOT. They're not nutritious. They fill you up but without providing essential vitamins and minerals.

But for pregnant women, especially those at risk of gestational diabetes, drinks sweetened with sugar could increase the developing it. Gestational diabetes can cause your baby to grow overly large, complicating birth. Having high glucose in your blood during pregnancy may also lead to diabetes later in life as well. (Find out more about gestational diabetes, the risks and how to spot it.)

According to Healthline, there are a few studies that suggest too much sugar can affect your pregnancy or your child after birth.

Ultimately, it's good to limit the amount of sugar you consume during pregnancy – but that doesn't preclude consuming Coca-Cola occasionally.

Pregnancy-safe drink recipes

Looking for something tempting to drink while pregnant? Try these pregnancy-safe drinks.

• Homemade hot chocolate
• Avocado and banana smoothie
• Summer sparkle mocktail
• Elderflower fizz
• Berry spring cooler

Or for a special treat, on a day when you haven't had much caffeine, why not whip up some tasty dalgona coffee?

Take a look at

Foods to avoid in pregnancy: your definitive guide

Confused about what you can and can't eat during pregnancy? These are the foods and drinks you should avoid or cut down on to protect your baby.

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Looking for more pregnancy diet info? Check out our articles below, or swap tips with other mums-to-be in our forum.

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