Is alcohol harming your fertility?

Drinking any amount of alcohol can make it more difficult to conceive

There’s evidence that alcohol can reduce fertility for both women and men. But why does alcohol reduce your chances of getting pregnant?

Drinking alcohol at any stage of pregnancy can cause long-term health problems for your baby.¹

Alcohol and fertility

It’s estimated that fertility problems affect one in seven couples in the UK, with the most common causes being ovulation problems for women, and sperm disorders for men.² While these problems can be caused by a range of factors, research shows that both ovulation³ and sperm quality⁴ can be affected by drinking alcohol.

There is research that suggests there are health risks to babies even from men who drink heavily prior to conception. It is associated with a higher risk of heart defects for babies, with high consumption and binge drinking having the biggest impact.^5,6

However, women can reverse the above risks to their fertility by stopping drinking before getting pregnant,⁷ and men can achieve the same effect by cutting right down or stopping.⁸

For women trying to conceive, it’s safest not to drink alcohol at all to give the best chance of success and keep health risks to the baby as low as possible. Not drinking at all while trying to conceive and during pregnancy is also a great way for men to support their partner, and to ensure their sperm is the highest possible quality.

Female fertility and alcohol

The UK Chief Medical Officers' low risk drinking guidelines recommend that women trying to have a baby, or pregnant women, should not drink alcohol at all to keep health risks to the baby as low as possible.⁹

Alcohol can decrease female fertility. A recent review has shown that light drinking reduces fertility in women, and fertility is reduced even further in women drinking moderately or heavily.¹⁰

The NHS also advises that if you’re trying to get pregnant it’s important to take a folic acid supplement every day and continue taking it during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy too.¹¹Also, to help your baby develop healthily, make sure to eat a healthy diet throughout.¹² If you’ve been trying for a baby for at least one year without success, you should contact your GP surgery for more advice.¹³

Male fertility and alcohol

Heavy drinking is associated with lower testosterone levels, and sperm quality and quantity in men. That’s because men who regularly drink heavily are at risk of destroying sperm-producing cells in the testicles, affecting the quality of their sperm.^14,15

Alcohol affects male fertility too – female partners of men who have a high intake of alcohol are less likely to become pregnant.¹⁶

As well as affecting hormone levels, alcohol can inhibit the function of the testes, stopping sperm from developing properly and reducing the sperm’s ability to move towards an egg.¹⁷ This happens because alcohol stops the liver from properly metabolising vitamin A, which is needed for sperm to develop.¹⁸

And alcohol can affect your sex life whether you’re trying for a baby or not. Drinking to excess can also harm a male’s sexual performance, causing impotence and loss of sexual desire.¹⁹

Healthy lifestyle and getting help

A healthy lifestyle is key to helping your fertility.

In addition to stopping drinking, or reducing how much alcohol you drink, steps you can take to increase your chances of conceiving include not smoking, keeping to a healthy weight, and talking to your doctor if you have a long-term health condition or are taking any regular medication.²⁰ You can get more advice on the NHS website if your planning for a pregnancy.

If you’re ready to change your drinking habits, why not start today? Drinkaware has tools and advice that can help.

Our Unit and Calorie Calculator will work out the number of alcohol units and calories you consumed for you to keep track and reduce your drinking.

References

[1] Popova, S., Dozet, D., Shield, K., Rehm, J., &Burd, L. (2021). Alcohol’s Impact on the Fetus. Nutrients, 13(10), 3452. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13103452

[2] NHS website. How long does it usually take to get pregnant? (8 September 2022). [Accessed 16/6/25]. https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/trying-for-a-baby/how-long-it-takes-to-get-pregnant/

[3] Mohammad Yaser Anwar, Michele Marcus, Kira C Taylor. The association between alcohol intake and fecundability during menstrual cycle phases, Hum Reprod (2021) Aug 8;36(9):2538-2548. doi:10.1093/humrep/deab121.

[4] Ricci, E., Al Beitawi, S., Cipriani, S., Candiani, M., Chiaffarino, F., Viganò, P., Noli, S. and Parazzini, F. (2017). Semen quality and alcohol intake: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Reproductive Biomedicine Online, 34(1), 38-47.

[5] Windt, M. van der, Tobi, E. W., Chidi, I., Schoenmakers, S., Rossem, L. van, Steegers-Theunissen, R. P. M., & Rousian, M. (2024). Periconceptional maternal and paternal alcohol consumption and embryonic and fetal development: The Rotterdam periconception cohort. Reproductive BioMedicine Online, 49(5). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rbmo.2024.104351

[6] Zhang, S., Wang, L., Yang, T., Chen, L., Zhao, L., Wang, T., Chen, L., Ye, Z., Zheng, Z., & Qin, J. (2020). Parental alcohol consumption and the risk of congenital heart diseases in offspring: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, 27(4), 410–421. https://doi.org/10.1177/2047487319874530

[7] Mohammad Yaser Anwar, Michele Marcus, Kira C Taylor. The association between alcohol intake and fecundability during menstrual cycle phases, Hum Reprod (2021) Aug 8;36(9):2538-2548. doi:10.1093/humrep/deab121.

[8] Finelli, R., Mottola, F., & Agarwal, A. (2021). Impact of Alcohol Consumption on Male Fertility Potential: A Narrative Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(1), 328. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19010328

[9] Department of Health (2016). UK Chief Medical Officers’ Low Risk Drinking Guidelines. [online] Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a80b7ed40f0b623026951db/UK_CMOs__report.pdf

[10] Mohammad Yaser Anwar, Michele Marcus, Kira C Taylor. The association between alcohol intake and fecundability during menstrual cycle phases, Hum Reprod (2021) Aug 8;36(9):2538-2548. doi:10.1093/humrep/deab121.

[11] NHS website. Vitamins, supplements and nutrition in pregnancy. (1 September 2023). [Accessed 16/6/25]. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/vitamins-supplements-and-nutrition/

[12] NHS website. Healthy eating in pregnancy. [Accessed 16/6/25]. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/start-for-life/pregnancy/healthy-eating-in-pregnancy/

[13] NHS website. How long does it usually take to get pregnant? (8 September 2022). [Accessed 16/6/25]. https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/trying-for-a-baby/how-long-it-takes-to-get-pregnant/

[14] Smith, S. J., Lopresti, A. L., & Fairchild, T. J. (2023). The effects of alcohol on testosterone synthesis in men: A review. Expert Review of Endocrinology & Metabolism, 18(2), 155–166. https://doi.org/10.1080/17446651.2023.2184797

[15] Finelli, R., Mottola, F., & Agarwal, A. (2021). Impact of Alcohol Consumption on Male Fertility Potential: A Narrative Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(1), 328. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19010328

[16] Nguyen-Thanh, T., Hoang-Thi, A.-P., & Anh Thu, D. T. (2023). Investigating the association between alcohol intake and male reproductive function: A current meta-analysis. Heliyon, 9(5), e15723. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e15723

[17] Dcunha, R., Hussein, R. S., Ananda, H., Kumari, S., Adiga, S. K., Kannan, N., Zhao, Y., & Kalthur, G. (2020). Current Insights and Latest Updates in Sperm Motility and Associated Applications in Assisted Reproduction. Reproductive Sciences, 29(1), 7–25. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43032-020-00408-y

[18] Ricci, E., Al Beitawi, S., Cipriani, S., Candiani, M., Chiaffarino, F., Viganò, P., Noli, S. and Parazzini, F. (2017). Semen quality and alcohol intake: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Reproductive Biomedicine Online, 34(1), 38-47.

[19] Soni, P. A., Jadhav, B. S., & Verma, R. (2024). Study of Sexual Dysfunctions in Male Patients with Alcohol Dependence Syndrome. Journal of Psychosexual Health, 6(1), 89–97. https://doi.org/10.1177/26318318241255801

[20] NHS website. Trying to get pregnant. (14 November 2023). [Accessed 16/6/25]. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/trying-for-a-baby/trying-to-get-pregnant/

Was this information helpful?

Last Reviewed: 12th September 2025

Next Review due: 12th September 2028

Newsletter