Alcohol and Fertility Treatment: What the Evidence Suggests
Couples undergoing fertility treatment often focus heavily on the medical protocol, while giving a bit less thought to everyday habits that may have an influence on outcomes. Alcohol is one of those habits and new research suggests that it may deserve more attention than it usually gets.
How Alcohol Affects Female Fertility
Alcohol consumption can interfere with reproductive hormones, including estrogen and follicle-stimulating hormones (FSH). Both play a major role in ovulation and egg development. Several studies of women undergoing IVF have found that those who regularly drank alcohol before treatment had a lower success rate of achieving pregnancy in comparison to those who did not drink alcohol at all.
How Alcohol Affect Male Fertility
Alcohol consumption has been linked to reduced sperm count and motility as well as abnormal sperm morphology. It can also affect testosterone levels by increasing oxidative stress which damages sperm DNA. It’s important to note that sperm takes about three months to develop fully. This means a man’s drinking habits in the months leading to a treatment cycle can influence sperm quality at the time of fertilization.
What About “Just One Drink”?
Oftentimes, patients will ask whether an occasional glass of wine is definitively harmful. Answers may vary based on the practitioner who answers. In the fertility space, alcohol consumption is not treated as a yes/no rule. The general idea is that the less alcohol that is in the picture during an active cycle, the fewer variables will be working against a body that is undergoing a substantial amount of hormonal and physical changes.
This article is for general educational purposes and is not a substitute for individualized guidance from a fertility specialist.