Alcohol: does it affect your fertility?

Research has shown that:

• alcohol affects male and female fertility, but the level of consumption associated with risk is unclear. High levels of maternal alcohol consumption are known to be dangerous to the unborn child, but the effects at lower levels are less certain.
• 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
• in women drinking more than one to two units a day during pregnancy, there is increased risk of low birth weight, preterm birth, and being small for gestational age.
• men’s fertility can be affected by alcohol as it lowers testosterone levels, it can cause impotence, reduce libido and a affect sperm quality.

 

The effects of alcohol are:

• Lowers testosterone
• Impotence
• Reduce libido
• Affect sperm quality
• Reduce chance of live birth
• Increase risk of miscarriage
• Increased risk of pre term birth
• Increased risk of low birth weight

 

It’s recommended 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.

 

How much is too much?

Current general advice for people not trying to conceive is for both men and women is not to exceed 14 units per week.

 

Where can you get help?

If you’re pregnant or trying to conceive, the advice is not to drink alcohol at all

If you want to reduce or stop alcohol consumption, you can speak to your GP.

A fertility counsellor or coach trained on managing addictions can also help you.

 

You can also find more information at:

www.drinkaware.co.uk

www.nhs.uk/oneyou/drinking

www.nhs.uk/Livewell/alcohol/

 

Andreia Trigo

Nurse Specialist | NLP Coach of 2017 | TEDx Speaker

www.infertile-life.com