I've been drinking green tea in early pregnancy and have just read that it can cause birth defects. Will my baby be OK and is green tea safe to drink in pregnacy?

Green tea contains a substance called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) in larger amounts than normal tea. It has anti-cancer properties, but also affects folic acid metabolism. Folic acid is given pre-conception and in early pregnancy to reduce the risk of neural tube defects (for example spina bifida)in baby. Scientists have suggested-but never actually proved, that it could lead to these defects being more likely. Green tea is a good example of a herbal drug-though it sounds 'natural', that doesn't mean it's necessarily safe. The good news is that these are all theoretical-or at worst marginal-risks. It's very unlikely to have affected your developing baby, but still probably safest to avoid it particularly in early pregnancy.

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I've been drinking green tea in early pregnancy and have just read that it can cause birth defects. Will my baby be OK and is green tea safe to drink in pregnacy?

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