Infertility can be caused by several factors such as obesity, a medical condition, but may also be a consequence of an unhealthy life style. Alcohol use may influence fertility in women. There are no conclusive results to prove that moderate alcohol consumption is definitely an infertility factor, and there are opinions both for and against moderate alcohol use in women trying to conceive. However, alcohol in excess is clearly a toxic factor and should influence female fertility, interfering with the regular ovulation.
Alcohol and Fertility in Women
Alcohol may affect fertility in both men and women when consumed in high amounts. When it comes to a moderate amount of alcohol, there are two main schools of thought:
- Some doctors say that any amount of alcohol can be toxic and may decrease fertility in women
- Others claim that a low amount of alcohol per day won't affect fertility in women in any way
Women that are having a difficult time conceiving should consider eliminating alcohol from their life.
How Alcohol May Influence Fertility in Women
Excessive consumption of alcohol may influence female fertility in various ways:
- Affect the menstrual cycle and the ovulation period
- Alcohol consumption has been associated with hypothalmic-pituitary-ovarian dysfunction, which leads to lack of menstruation or amenorrhea
- Luteal phase defect, which can affect ovulation and you won't be able to use the calendar method to determine the most fertile period
- Hyperprolactinemia
- May cause spontaneous abortion in pregnant women
- The baby can be born with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), which can manifest through abnormal growth and mental problems
How Much Alcohol Is Too Much?
While a few specialists prohibit the consumption of alcohol while trying to conceive and during pregnancy, there are also specialists that claim that moderate alcohol consumption won't cause infertility.
To establish how much is too much alcohol, you should think about the amount of alcohol you drink per day or per week. A glass of wine per day (150 ml) is considered a moderate amount. More than this amount is considered excessive. A drink per day (one beer) is considered moderate.
Other beverages that have a higher concentration of alcohol may be consumed, but only 2 or 3 times per week. Remember that cocktails also contain alcohol. The amount of alcohol that is considered moderate may vary according to several factors:
- Your body weight
- The capacity of the body to assimilate the alcohol
- Whether you are used to alcohol or not
The fertility doctor should be informed about any possible drinking habits, and you should consider reducing or eliminating alcohol during the conception period and pregnancy. It may take up to three months for the toxins contained in alcohol to be eliminated by the body, so if you try to quit drinking, it's advisable to try to conceive only three months after quitting.
