Halldorsson TI, Strøm M, Petersen SB, Olsen SF (2010) American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 92: 626–33
Objective: To assess whether there is an association between consumption of sugar sweetened or artificially sweetened soft drinks and pre-term delivery among pregnant women
Design: Prospective cohort analysis
Setting: Denmark
Participants: 59,334 women from the Danish National Birth Cohort (1996–2002).
Main outcome measures: Soft drink consumption determined midpregnancy. Pre-term delivery defined as <37weeks.
Results: No relationship seen between consumption of sugar-sweetened carbonated or non-carbonated soft drinks and pre-term delivery. Compared with non-consumers, an association was seen between consumption of 1 carbonated or non-carbonated artificially sweetened drink per day and pre-term delivery (OR 1.38. CI 1.15 - 1.65). This association was stronger in those who consumed >4 servings per day (OR 1.78. CI 1.19 - 2.66). The risk was greater for early pre-term delivery than for late (i.e. the more serious form)
Conclusions: Daily intake of artificially sweetened soft drinks during pregnancy may increase risk of premature delivery
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