Alcohol and smoking of any kind can negatively impact fertility, making the road to conception a bit more difficult.
The effects of drinking and smoking on fertility
When you consider the effects that drinking and smoking may have on fertility, you can better prepare yourself and your body before trying to conceive.
Alcohol and fertility
Research is mixed on how occasional drinking may affect female fertility. Some studies have found that individuals who consume two or more alcoholic drinks a day see lower fertility rates, but there’s no single study that shows you need to cut out alcohol completely while TTC. Occasional, light drinking is probably compatible with TTC. It all depends on personal tolerance and your acceptance of any level of risk. However, individuals who abuse alcohol are more likely to develop certain infertility conditions, such as the absence of ovulation or menstruation.
Research is similarly inconclusive about the impact of alcohol on male fertility. Alcohol is one of many factors, like exercise, nutrition, sleep and weight, that can contribute to sperm count. Limiting alcohol intake when trying to conceive may help boost fertility, but cutting it out completely is a personal choice.
It is recommended that if you’re actively TTC – and, as such, could presumably (and hopefully!) become pregnant at any time – that you proceed with caution when it comes to alcohol. If there’s any chance you have conceived, there is no safe level of alcohol use in pregnancy.
Smoking and fertility
What about smoking and female fertility? Those who smoke or vape may be at a greater risk of experiencing ovulation problems or other general health issues that may negatively affect fertility. Any amount of smoking can reduce egg quality and make your uterine lining less inviting for an embryo.
Cigarette smoke can also adversely affect male fertility, as it may lower sperm count and make it difficult for individual sperm to make their way to a fallopian tube and fertilize an egg.
Because smoking certainly isn’t good for your health – fertility health or general health – quitting is recommended. And because smoking while pregnant leads to an increased risk of birth defects, low birth weight, and other complications, if you’re actively TTC, quitting now definitely makes a lot of sense.
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Sources
- Rossi BV, Berry KF, Hornstein MD, Cramer DW, Ehrlich S, Missmer SA. “Effect of alcohol consumption on in vitro fertilization.” Obstetrics & Gynecology. 117(1):136-42. Web. 1/11/2015.
- Suzanne Tough, PhD, Karen Tofflemire, MSc, Margaret Clarke, MD, and Christine Newburn-Cook, PhD. “Do Women Change Their Drinking Behaviors While Trying to Conceive? An Opportunity for Preconception Counseling.” Clinical Medicine & Research. 4(2): 97-105. Web. 6/6/2015.
- “ASRM Topic: Smoking.” ASRM. American Society for Reproductive Medicine, n.d. Web.
- M Munafo, M Murphy, D Whiteman, K Hey. “Does Cigarette Smoking Increase Time to Conception.” Journal of Biosocial Science. Volume 34 / Issue 01, Pp 65-73. Web. 1/2/2015.
- J De Mouzon, A Spira and D Schwartz. “A Prospective Study of the Relation Between Smoking and Fertility.” International Journal of Epidemiology. 17 (2): 378-384. Web. 1988.
- G Howe, C Westhoff, M Vessey, and D Yeates. “Effects of age, cigarette smoking, and other factors on fertility: findings in a large prospective study.” British Medical Journal. 290(6483): 1697-1700. Web. 6/8/1995.
