Women having trouble conceiving may examine their lifestyle choices and wonder if they are conducive to getting pregnant. When considering altering your lifestyle in order to conceive faster, one factor to think about is your alcohol consumption. The fertility specialists at The Reproductive Care Centre in Mississauga, Ontario discuss how alcohol may affect fertility for both men and women.
We know that alcohol affects the fetus even in the early weeks, so when you begin actively trying to conceive, it would be wise to lower your intake or stop drinking all together. Once you see that positive pregnancy test, you will want to give up alcohol completely, so starting now won’t hurt.
Excessive drinking can lead to ovulation disorders which will make it more difficult to conceive. Cutting back or completely giving up alcohol may help regulate ovulation again and increase your chances of having a healthy baby. A fertility doctor can determine if there is an ovulation issue.
During fertility treatments, such as IVF, four drinks per week may lower your chances of a successful cycle. And you may have to go through another round to be successful.
And it’s not just the women who should put down the wine glass, a male’s fertility can be affected as well. Alcohol could cause erectile dysfunction due to a decrease in testosterone in men who drink heavily.
If you are thinking about starting a family or have had trouble conceiving, it may be worthwhile to cut your alcohol consumption. If you’ve been unsuccessful in getting pregnant for six months to a year, we encourage you to schedule an appointment with our fertility doctors at RCC in Mississauga today!