by Dr. Lowell Ku
Is it ok to drink alcohol while you are trying to conceive? Does alcohol have any effects upon one’s fertility? Today, I discuss the effects of alcohol upon fertility.
I am asked by my patients on a regular basis whether they can drink alcohol while trying to conceive. The bottom line according to the American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecology is that, “Women should avoid alcohol entirely while pregnant or trying to conceive because damage can occur in the earliest weeks of pregnancy, even before a woman knows that she is pregnant.”
Clearly, alcohol should not be consumed while pregnant. But what about during the early part of the cycle (when you are clearly not pregnant)? Will alcohol affect your chances of conceiving? The Practice Committees of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and the Society for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility state, “The effect of alcohol on female fertility has not been clearly established. Whereas some studies have concluded that alcohol has a detrimental effect, others have suggested that alcohol may enhance fertility.” Other studies have found no relationship between alcohol and fertility.
The Committee further states, “Higher levels of alcohol consumption (≥ 2 drinks/day) probably are best avoided when attempting pregnancy, but there is no evidence to indicate that more moderate alcohol consumption adversely affects fertility. Of course, alcohol consumption should cease altogether during pregnancy because alcohol has well-documented detrimental effects on fetal development and no ‘‘safe’’ level of alcohol consumption has been established.”
At Dallas IVF, we recommend that alcohol should be strictly avoided if you are pregnant or think you are pregnant. When trying to conceive, it is best to avoid alcohol in order to avoid the ill effects of alcohol upon an unrecognized pregnancy.
Source: Fertility and Sterility, Volume 90, Issue 5, Page S4, November 2008, Authors: Practice Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine with the Society for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility
Source: ACOG Website
Dr. Lowell Ku, M.D. is an award winning and leading Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility specialist at Dallas IVF, one the nation’s premiere infertility centers. Dr. Ku clarifies the many confusing terms used in the world of Infertility using straightforward explanations.
Photograph by Stephanie Himel-Nelson.
