Is Sparkling Water Safe During Pregnancy?
Yes - plain sparkling water is safe to drink during pregnancy. NHS pregnancy guidance lists water and sparkling water among the recommended options to replace caffeinated drinks, and current evidence does not suggest carbonation poses any specific risk to the baby. The bubbles are simply dissolved CO2 the same gas your body produces and breathes out all day. The caveats are around what is sometimes added to flavoured sparkling waters (sweeteners, quinine, sugar), and around drinking too much too quickly, which can leave you feeling uncomfortably full. As always with anything pregnancy-related, if you're managing a specific condition or you're unsure, speak to your midwife or GP.
This post goes a little deeper for anyone who wants the full picture: what the evidence actually says, whether sparkling water can help with morning sickness, whether it counts toward your hydration target, and what to watch out for when choosing flavoured varieties.
Is sparkling water safe during pregnancy?
In short: yes. Plain, unflavoured sparkling water is considered safe throughout all three trimesters. The carbonation comes from dissolved carbon dioxide gas; once you drink it, the gas is either burped off, absorbed, or moves through the gut in the same way as any other gas. It does not cross the placenta in any meaningful way. NHS-aligned pregnancy resources, including Tommy's and the NHS website, list sparkling water as a fine option for staying hydrated and as a swap for caffeinated drinks during pregnancy.
What changes the answer is not the bubbles - it's what comes with them. Tonic water contains quinine and is best avoided in pregnancy. Sugary fizzy drinks (cola, lemonade, sweetened sparkling drinks) come with their own NHS guidance to limit, because of the sugar load rather than the carbonation. Flavoured sparkling waters vary, some are nothing more than water and natural flavour, others contain sweeteners, acidity regulators, or quinine. The rule of thumb: read the back of the can.
What the evidence says about carbonated water and pregnancy
There is no robust evidence that drinking sparkling water during pregnancy is harmful. A 2020 systematic review of beverage consumption and birth weight, published by the National Academies Press, found no specific association between plain carbonated water and adverse pregnancy outcomes. The concerns flagged in the literature centred on caffeinated drinks and high-sugar beverages, not carbonation itself.
What current evidence does suggest:
Sparkling water hydrates the body in the same way as still water. The fluid is identical; the dissolved gas does not change how the body absorbs the water. For pregnancy hydration purposes, a glass of sparkling water counts toward your daily total the same as a glass of still water would.
Can sparkling water help with pregnancy nausea?
For many women yes, though the evidence is more anecdotal than clinical. The mechanism is not fully understood. One widely cited explanation is that the bubbles may help with stomach acidity and the act of slow sipping aids settling, but the studies here are small and largely observational. The most common patterns shared by midwives and pregnancy health resources are:
Cold sparkling water sipped slowly during a wave of morning sickness can help take the edge off. The cold and the carbonation together seem to settle the stomach for some women.
Sparkling water with a slice of fresh lemon, lime, or fresh ginger is one of the most recommended at-home nausea remedies in UK pregnancy resources - it offers hydration plus a flavour that many women find easier to tolerate than plain water during the first trimester.
Drinking it slowly matters more than the amount. Gulping carbonated water can lead to fullness, hiccups, or a rebound nausea - the opposite of what you want. Small sips, frequent intervals.
This is one of the reasons home carbonation has become more common in pregnancy households. Being able to make a fresh glass at the strength you want, with whatever flavour you can tolerate that day, often beats the alternative of opening a flat-tasting bottle from the fridge.
Some women find carbonation increases bloating or heartburn, particularly in the third trimester as the uterus presses on the stomach. This is individual, as some find it eases reflux, others find it worsens. The advice is to listen to your own body and adjust accordingly.
Does sparkling water count toward your pregnancy hydration target?
Yes. Hydration needs increase during pregnancy. UK guidance from NHS-aligned sources recommends around 8–10 glasses of fluid (roughly 1.5 to 2 litres) per day, slightly more than the general adult recommendation. All non-caffeinated, non-alcoholic fluids count toward that total, including sparkling water, herbal teas, decaf options, and the water content of food.
There is no reason to limit sparkling water to "less than" still water for hydration purposes. The fluid is the same. If you find sparkling water more palatable than still - especially in the first trimester - when many women describe still water as tasting "off" or metallic, leaning on it for your daily intake is a sensible call.
What to watch for: tonic water, flavoured varieties, and sweeteners
The carbonation is fine. The things that get added to it are where to pay attention.
Tonic water contains quinine - a bitter agent that, in larger doses, can have effects on the body. Whilst the amount in a typical glass is small, NHS-aligned pregnancy guidance advises avoiding tonic water during pregnancy as a precaution. This is not the same as plain sparkling water though, tonic is its own category.
Flavoured sparkling waters vary widely. Plain natural flavour with no added sugar or sweetener is fine. Drinks with added sugar fall under the same NHS advice as any sugary fizzy drink - limit them. Drinks with artificial sweeteners (aspartame, sucralose, stevia) are generally considered safe by the NHS in pregnancy in moderate amounts, but if you'd rather avoid them, that's a personal choice that's easy to make at home - see our guide on whether diabetics can drink flavoured sparkling water for a closer look at what's in different flavoured varieties.
Cold tap water plus a slice of fresh fruit, fresh herbs, or a splash of cordial gives you a flavoured sparkling drink with no mystery ingredients.
Making sparkling water at home during pregnancy
For a lot of pregnant readers, the easiest way to drink more sparkling water without stockpiling plastic bottles or worrying about what's in the flavoured cans, is to make it at home. The Bubbla, our countertop sparkling water machine, uses tap water and a CO2 cylinder to make fresh sparkling water in seconds. Pull the lever, and you have a glass.
A few practical reasons it suits pregnancy:
- You control the strength of the carbonation, so if a fizzier drink eases nausea one week and a lighter one suits better the next, that's just one more pull or two fewer.
- You skip the shop run and lugging heavy cylinders home - we offer free doorstep deliveries with our gas subscriptions.
- There are no wires, no plug, no electricity required - it sits on the worktop and just works. And the CO2 cylinders are delivered to your door on subscription, so when one runs out, the next arrives and we collect the empty in the same trip.
The verdict
Plain sparkling water is safe during pregnancy, hydrates the same as still water, and for many women it eases mild nausea or simply makes hydration more pleasant during a stretch of life when plain water can taste strange. The things to pay attention to are added ingredients (tonic water, sugar, sweeteners) and your own body's signals. Some women find carbonation soothing, others find it worsens reflux in the third trimester. Trust what works for you, sip slowly, and check anything specific with your midwife or GP.
Frequently asked questions
Is sparkling water safe during the first trimester?
Yes. Plain sparkling water is safe throughout pregnancy, including the first trimester. Many women find it more palatable than still water in early pregnancy when plain water can taste metallic. If you're managing nausea, sip slowly and cold.
Does sparkling water cause heartburn during pregnancy?
It can - but it isn't universal. For some women, carbonation soothes stomach acidity; for others, particularly in the third trimester, the bubbles increase reflux. There is no one rule. If sparkling water makes heartburn worse for you, switch to still water for that stretch.
Can sparkling water help with morning sickness?
For some women, yes. Cold sparkling water, often with a slice of lemon, lime, or a piece of fresh ginger, is a frequently recommended at-home remedy for mild nausea in pregnancy. The evidence is largely anecdotal rather than clinical.
How much sparkling water can you drink while pregnant?
There is no specific upper limit for plain sparkling water during pregnancy. NHS-aligned guidance recommends around 8-10 glasses of fluid per day during pregnancy (roughly 1.5 to 2 litres), and sparkling water counts toward that total.
Is flavoured sparkling water safe during pregnancy?
Plain flavoured sparkling water with natural flavour and no added sugar is generally fine. Watch out for added sugar (limit, per NHS guidance), quinine (in tonic water - avoid), and check the back of the can if you want to know what's in your drink. Making sparkling water at home gives you the most control over what's actually in the glass.
Want sparkling water at home - tap water in, fresh bubbles out, no plastic bottles to lug? The Bubbla makes sparkling water in seconds, with no wires, no plumbing, and no electricity.
