Is alcohol harming your fertility?

Alcohol stops you conceiving? Those who’ve found themselves pregnant after having sex at the end of an alcohol-fuelled night might find that hard to believe. But it’s true – there is good scientific evidence that alcohol can reduce fertility in both men and women.  

So why does alcohol cut your chances of having a baby? And how much is too much to drink when you’re trying to conceive?

Official guidance

The Chief Medical Officer for England and Wales recommends that “as a general rule, pregnant women or women trying to conceive should avoid drinking alcohol. If they do choose to drink, to protect the baby they should not drink more than one to two units of alcohol once or twice a week and should not get drunk.”

This advice is mainly designed to protect your baby if you fall pregnant. Drinking more than the recommended government guidelines (that women should not regularly exceed 2-3 units daily – 3 units is a large glass of wine or pint of strong lager) in the early stages of pregnancy is proven to affect the baby’s development. It can also increase the chance of miscarriage.

Female fertility and alcohol

However, alcohol doesn’t cause problems only after you’re pregnant. It can make women less fertile too. “There is a link between drinking and fertility, although exactly how alcohol makes women less fertile isn’t understood clearly,” says Dr Anthony Rutherford, a consultant in reproductive medicine and Chairman of the British Fertility Society. “Many studies have shown that even drinking lightly can have an effect.”

These include a Danish study that showed drinking between one and five drinks a week can reduce a women’s chances of conceiving, and 10 drinks or more decreases the likelihood of conception even further . A 2009 study done at Harvard University of couples undergoing IVF showed that women who drank more than six units per week were 18% less likely to conceive, while men were 14% less likely.

Television presenter Zoe Ball recently admitted that, after trying for years, she only got pregnant for the second time after she and her husband stopped drinking.

Dr Rutherford says: “In my experience, if you’re already finding it difficult to conceive, reducing or stopping drinking can make the difference between getting pregnant or not. I would advise anyone struggling –or even thinking about trying to conceive – to seriously consider reducing what they drink.”

Men, alcohol and conception

It isn’t just female fertility that’s affected by alcohol. Dr Patrick O’Brien, spokesperson for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, says: “Excessive alcohol lowers testosterone levels and sperm quality and quantity in men. It can also reduce libido, and cause impotence. If a man drinks heavily it can really reduce a couple’s chances of conceiving. However, if you reduce what you drink, these effects can be quickly reversed.

"I would recommend that men definitely stay within the recommended guidelines (that they should not regularly exceed 3-4 units daily) if they’re trying to conceive,” says Dr O’Brien.

Deirdre Armstrong is a conception coach at the Edinburgh Natural Fertility Clinic, which gives couples extra help to conceive using treatments like acupuncture, herbal medicine and by advising them on nutrition. The impact of alcohol on men’s fertility is something she sees daily.

“Men absolutely can’t get away with drinking heavily when they’re trying to conceive,” she says. “Recently a couple trying to conceive came to see us. We took a sperm sample from the man, and then another three months later. In the intervening time, the couple had got married and been on their honeymoon – the three months had been a giant, alcohol-fuelled party for them. It was shocking how much his sperm count had dropped.”

Healthy lifestyle

A healthy lifestyle in general is key to making sure your fertility is in tip top shape. That includes eating well and exercising to make sure you’re a healthy weight. And of course, drinking within the recommended limits (that men should not regularly exceed 3-4 units daily and women should not regularly exceed 2-3 units daily) – or stopping altogether – is part of this.

“The importance of a healthy lifestyle can’t be overstated,” says Deidre. “We help couples get their bodies in balance at the clinic – and that makes a real difference to fertility.”

References

1. NICE, Antenatal care: Routine care for the healthy pregnant woman, http://www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/pdf/CG062NICEguideline.pdf
2. T Koldjensen, NHI Hjollund, TB Henriksen, T Scheike, H Kolstad, A Giwercman, E Ernst, JP Bonde, NE Skakkebaek & J Olsen, “Does moderate alcohol consumption affect fertility? Follow up study among couples planning first pregnancy”, BMJ 1998; 317:505-510, http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/317/7157/505
3. http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2009/10/alcohol-hinders-having-a-baby-through-ivf-couples-warned/

Page last updated by

Matthew Bateman, 21 Apr 2010.

Page checked on

08 Mar 2010