Drinking and infertility - How Alcohol Affects Fertility

If you’ve been thinking about starting a family but have been having trouble conceiving, infertility may come to mind. While some factors are beyond your control, there are lifestyle choices that have a serious impact on your fertility. Alcohol and infertility have been proven to go hand in hand.Read on to learn more about the effects of alcohol on fertility:

What is Female Fertility

As a female, your fertility is your biological ability to conceive a child. Both you and your partner may question your fertility if you’e been trying to get pregnant. If you’ve been trying for over at least one year, or at least six months if you are over 35, there could be an underlying fertility issue. But what if you live a healthy lifestyle? You eat a heart-healthy diet, exercise regularly and only indulge once in a while? Enjoying an occasional cocktail usually doesn't cause infertility. However, alcohol and fertility can be the reason you're not able to conceive. In addition, you should know that insurance might not cover it.

Alcohol and Infertility in Females

If all underlying medical conditions known to cause infertility have been ruled out, you need to start looking at your lifestyle choices. While it's true that having an occasional glass of wine may actually be beneficial, exceeding the recommended guidelines can cause infertility. There is a direct link between consuming and alcohol and female infertility.Many studies now show that having even one drink a day can lower your fertility levels. If you’re consuming more than 10 drinks per week, your chances of becoming pregnant are even lower. Alcohol and infertility rates triple when one or both partners are heavy drinkers, not to mention the other medical problems you are at risk of developing.If you fall into this category, the effects of alcohol on fertility are staggering. Knowing how much is too much is key.The ongoing affects of alcohol and infertility in females is far deeper than simply abstaining for a few days. Since many women don't find out they are pregnant until a month or two after conception, the CDC recommends completely eliminating alcohol for at least four to six weeks before trying to conceive. If not you can inadvertently cause damage to the fetus and possibly even miscarry.

Alcohol and Male Infertility

Keep in mind that it’s not only female fertility that’s affected by alcohol consumption. Excessive alcohol intake can significantly lower testosterone levels and sperms quantity and quality in males. It can also reduce libido and even cause impotence. If your partner is a heavy drinker, it can negatively impact your ability to conceive. However, the reduction or elimination of alcohol consumption can quickly reverse the ill-effects of alcohol.

Living a Healthy Lifestyle

Heavy drinking can also impact your fertility indirectly. Women who drink even moderate amounts of alcohol are at higher risk of ovulation disorders. Moreover, the indirect damage done to the liver and other internal organs have a direct link to alcohol and fertility levels. Finally, alcohol and male infertility is usually considered taboo to talk about. Women are the ones who carry the baby, so why do men need to abstain? Simply put, the overall health of their sperm and themselves counts on it.