If a woman is struggling to conceive new research presented at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology’s annual conference in Barcelona suggests that four cups of coffee a day can seriously damage her chances of having a baby. Dutch scientists believe that the effect of caffeine may cause as many problems in pregnancy as those caused by alcohol, smoking or being overweight.

The researchers from Radbout University in Nijmegen followed the health and habits of 9,000 women with fertility problems for up to 13 years after they finished IVF treatment. Almost 1,350 had babies after treatment ended, with most pregnancies occurring in the first year. When the researchers then looked at why some women conceived naturally and others didn’t, they found that certain lifestyle factors played a critical role. Those who drank four or more cups of coffee, tea or other caffeinated drinks a day were 26 per cent less likely to have had a baby.

All this adds to previous evidence that caffeine can harm fertility and the health of an unborn baby. About six months ago it was claimed that just two cups of coffee a day could double the risk of miscarriage. Caffeine has also been found to increase the risk of still birth and is linked to birth defects.

Caffeine is from a group of chemcials known to interfere with normal processes in the human body and in some women it may prevent the ovaries producing good quality eggs. It may also cause problems when a woman does conceive, increasing the risk of miscarriage so I strongly urge any woman struggling to get pregmant to limit her caffeine consumption. Caffeine, along with alcohol, smoking and being overweight are all poisons to the ovaries and sperm, meaning that men should also think about how much caffeine they consume not just in coffee, but in tea, chocolate and sodas.  For more information on how to boost fertility naturally and reduce the risk of a miscarraige see my book ‘Getting Pregnant Faster’.

A recent study published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine suggests that keeping a food diary may be a powerful tool in helping dieters to lose weight. The six month study involving 1,685 middle aged men and women from several US cities showed that those who kept a detailed account of what they ate and drank lost about twice as much as those who did not. The average weight loss was around 13lbs but those who kept food diaries six or seven days a week lost about 18lbs compared to those who did not.

Those taking part in the study were also asked to eat less fat and more vegetables, fruit and wholegrains. They were also asked to exercise for three hours a week, mostly brisk walking and attend support group meetings. The research reveals that simply writing down everything you eat can be a powerful technique because it helps you see where the extra calories are coming from and armed with this information you can then develop strategies to deal with these situations.

I often urge my patients who need to lose weight to keep a food diary. It doesn’t have to be anything formal; just noting down what you ate in a notepad or sending yourself an e-mail or text is enough.

If most of your friends have weight to lose this could make you more likely to gain weight. This is because scientits believe that we are all born copy cats and subconsciously influenced by those around us.

The research team found in a survey of 27,000 European adults across 29 countries that people decide if they are overweight or not by comparing themselves to those of the same age and sex rather than by body mass index. Half of European women think they are overweight – but if the people around them are obese they are likely to see it as more acceptable or normal, meaning that they are more likely to feel comfortable gaining weight themselves in an obese society.