Alcohol and Fertility: How Much is Too Much?

Overview

Journal Fertil Res Pract

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialty Reproductive Medicine

Date 2017 Jul 14

PMID 28702207

Citations 24

Authors

Kristin Van Heertum

Brooke Rossi

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Alcohol use is prevalent in the United States. Given that a substantial portion of the drinking population is of reproductive age, it is not uncommon for couples who are attempting conception, or for women who are already pregnant, to be regularly consuming alcohol. Alcohol use is associated with multiple reproductive risks, including having a child with a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, increased risk of fetal loss, and decreased chance of live birth. This review serves to examine the risks of alcohol in the context of reproductive health.

Citing Articles

Pregnancy and liver-related outcomes after alcohol-associated hepatitis: A global multicenter study.

Cooper K, Patel A, Kaluri S, Devuni D Hepatol Commun. 2025; 9(3).

PMID: 40048443 PMC: 11888976. DOI: 10.1097/HC9.0000000000000663.

Investigation of Uncovering Molecular Mechanisms of Alcohol-Induced Female Infertility-A Rational Approach.

Lubau N, Chengebroyen N, Subramaniyan V Reprod Sci. 2024; 31(12):3660-3672.

PMID: 39485609 PMC: 11611948. DOI: 10.1007/s43032-024-01692-8.

Nutritional Deficiencies and Subfertility: A Comprehensive Review of Current Evidence.

Shukla S, Shrivastava D Cureus. 2024; 16(8):e66477.

PMID: 39246987 PMC: 11380699. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.66477.

Influence of Age, Obesity, Smoking, Sleep duration, and Sleep Quality on Concentration, Morphology, and Sperm Motility: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Budihastuti U, Melinawati E, Prakosa T, Angelia Ratnasari A, Hadi C, Laqif A Int J Fertil Steril. 2024; 18(3):240-247.

PMID: 38973277 PMC: 11245581. DOI: 10.22074/ijfs.2023.1983273.1413.

Uncovering the impact of alcohol on internal organs and reproductive health: Exploring TLR4/NF-kB and CYP2E1/ROS/Nrf2 pathways.

Kong E, Subramaniyan V, Lubau N Animal Model Exp Med. 2024; 7(4):444-459.

PMID: 38853347 PMC: 11369036. DOI: 10.1002/ame2.12436.

References

Hansen K, He A, Styer A, Wild R, Butts S, Engmann L . Predictors of pregnancy and live-birth in couples with unexplained infertility after ovarian stimulation-intrauterine insemination. Fertil Steril. 2016; 105(6):1575-1583.e2. PMC: 4893990. DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2016.02.020. View

Huang H, Hansen K, Factor-Litvak P, Carson S, Guzick D, Santoro N . Predictors of pregnancy and live birth after insemination in couples with unexplained or male-factor infertility. Fertil Steril. 2012; 97(4):959-67. PMC: 3319287. DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2012.01.090. View

Pryor J, Patrick S, Sundermann A, Wu P, Hartmann K . Pregnancy Intention and Maternal Alcohol Consumption. Obstet Gynecol. 2017; 129(4):727-733. PMC: 5679257. DOI: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000001933. View

Condorelli R, Calogero A, Vicari E, La Vignera S . Chronic consumption of alcohol and sperm parameters: our experience and the main evidences. Andrologia. 2014; 47(4):368-79. DOI: 10.1111/and.12284. View

de Jong A, Menkveld R, Lens J, Nienhuis S, Rhemrev J . Effect of alcohol intake and cigarette smoking on sperm parameters and pregnancy. Andrologia. 2012; 46(2):112-7. DOI: 10.1111/and.12054. View

Hawkins Bressler L, Bernardi L, De Chavez P, Baird D, Carnethon M, Marsh E . Alcohol, cigarette smoking, and ovarian reserve in reproductive-age African-American women. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2016; 215(6):758.e1-758.e9. PMC: 5124512. DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2016.07.012. View

Baldur-Felskov B, Kjaer S, Albieri V, Steding-Jessen M, Kjaer T, Johansen C . Psychiatric disorders in women with fertility problems: results from a large Danish register-based cohort study. Hum Reprod. 2012; 28(3):683-90. DOI: 10.1093/humrep/des422. View

Gaskins A, Rich-Edwards J, Williams P, Toth T, Missmer S, Chavarro J . Prepregnancy Low to Moderate Alcohol Intake Is Not Associated with Risk of Spontaneous Abortion or Stillbirth. J Nutr. 2016; 146(4):799-805. PMC: 4807650. DOI: 10.3945/jn.115.226423. View

Grover S, Mattoo S, Pendharkar S, Kandappan V . Sexual dysfunction in patients with alcohol and opioid dependence. Indian J Psychol Med. 2014; 36(4):355-65. PMC: 4201785. DOI: 10.4103/0253-7176.140699. View

10.

Chandra A, Copen C, Stephen E . Infertility and impaired fecundity in the United States, 1982-2010: data from the National Survey of Family Growth. Natl Health Stat Report. 2014; (67):1-18, 1 p following 19. View

11.

Parazzini F, Chatenoud L, Di Cintio E, La Vecchia C, Benzi G, Fedele L . Alcohol consumption is not related to fertility in Italian women. BMJ. 1999; 318(7180):397. PMC: 1114857. DOI: 10.1136/bmj.318.7180.397. View

12.

Marquardt K, Brigman J . The impact of prenatal alcohol exposure on social, cognitive and affective behavioral domains: Insights from rodent models. Alcohol. 2016; 51:1-15. PMC: 4799836. DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2015.12.002. View

13.

May P, Baete A, Russo J, Elliott A, Blankenship J, Kalberg W . Prevalence and characteristics of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Pediatrics. 2014; 134(5):855-66. PMC: 4210790. DOI: 10.1542/peds.2013-3319. View

14.

Cavallo F, Russo R, Zotti C, Camerlengo A, Ruggenini A . Moderate alcohol consumption and spontaneous abortion. Alcohol Alcohol. 1995; 30(2):195-201. View

15.

. Optimizing natural fertility: a committee opinion. Fertil Steril. 2013; 100(3):631-7. DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2013.07.011. View

16.

Eggert J, Theobald H, Engfeldt P . Effects of alcohol consumption on female fertility during an 18-year period. Fertil Steril. 2004; 81(2):379-83. DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2003.06.018. View

17.

Pendharkar S, Mattoo S, Grover S . Sexual dysfunctions in alcohol-dependent men: A study from north India. Indian J Med Res. 2017; 144(3):393-399. PMC: 5320845. DOI: 10.4103/0971-5916.198681. View

18.

Povey A, Clyma J, McNamee R, Moore H, Baillie H, Pacey A . Modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors for poor semen quality: a case-referent study. Hum Reprod. 2012; 27(9):2799-806. DOI: 10.1093/humrep/des183. View

19.

Gupta K, Gupta V, Shirasaka T . An Update on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome-Pathogenesis, Risks, and Treatment. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2016; 40(8):1594-602. DOI: 10.1111/acer.13135. View

20.

Klonoff-Cohen H, Lam-Kruglick P, Gonzalez C . Effects of maternal and paternal alcohol consumption on the success rates of in vitro fertilization and gamete intrafallopian transfer. Fertil Steril. 2003; 79(2):330-9. DOI: 10.1016/s0015-0282(02)04582-x. View