This is a public service announcement about alcohol, fertility and pregnancy on a day when Americans are known to drink 325 million gallons of beer!
The title of this article basically says it all but what you should know is that there is no amount of alcohol that is acceptable or okay in pregnancy. If you are buzzed then imagine how your baby must feel. I know, I know, they do it in Europe and your mom did it when she was pregnant with you but no, that doesn’t give you a pass! If you are feeling buzzed, then your baby is trashed.
Now what about if you’re trying to conceive? Alcohol in moderation does not seem to cause fertility issues or future issues in pregnancy. Danish researchers found that women who drank fewer than 14 alcoholic beverages per week did not have reduced fertility. We do know that binge drinking is bad for your fertility for both men and women.
I ask my patients to abstain after their IUI and embryo transfer procedures. If you’re trying to conceive, alcohol in moderation won’t hurt your fertility. Avoid binge drinking and as always, ask your doctor about your particular situation. There definitely are patients of mine who I ask to abstain completely because of their situation (pre-diabetes, diabetes and other medical issues).
And, it’s important to weight the effects of lifestyle choices for males, as well. There’s more and more evidence to suggest that lifestyle affects sperm count. Alcohol should always be in moderation and avoid tobacco and marijuana to improve sperm health. Talk to your doctor about the medications you’re taking (calcium channel blockers and testosterone) as some could act almost like birth control for men. Men can also take vitamins to help with sperm quality.
I talk about how lifestyle impacts male fertility in the BALLS Method, which you can read about here.
Enjoy the Super Bowl today!
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