Alcohol and fertility: how much is too much?
- PMID: 28702207
- PMCID: PMC5504800
- DOI: 10.1186/s40738-017-0037-x
Alcohol and fertility: how much is too much?
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.
Keywords: Alcohol; Fecundability; Fertility; Infertility; Lifestyle.
Conflict of interest statement
Authors’ information
KV is a clinical instructor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine Department of Reproductive Biology. BR is an assistant clinical professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine Department of Reproductive Biology.
Ethics approval and consent to participate
Not applicable.
Consent for publication
Not applicable.
Competing interests
Kristin Van Heertum and Brooke Rossi have no conflicts to disclose.
Publisher’s Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Similar articles
-
Cannabis use while trying to conceive: a prospective cohort study evaluating associations with fecundability, live birth and pregnancy loss.Hum Reprod. 2021 Apr 20;36(5):1405-1415. doi: 10.1093/humrep/deaa355. Hum Reprod. 2021. PMID: 33421071 Free PMC article.
-
Low-to-moderate alcohol consumption and success in fertility treatment: a Danish cohort study.Hum Reprod. 2019 Jul 8;34(7):1334-1344. doi: 10.1093/humrep/dez050. Hum Reprod. 2019. PMID: 31241750
-
[Sterility and infertility: two concepts].Cah Que Demogr. 1986 Apr;15(1):27-56. Cah Que Demogr. 1986. PMID: 12268268 French.
-
Reproductive potential in the older woman.Fertil Steril. 1986 Dec;46(6):989-1001. doi: 10.1016/s0015-0282(16)49869-9. Fertil Steril. 1986. PMID: 3536609 Review.
-
Preconception lifestyle advice for people with infertility.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2021 Apr 29;4(4):CD008189. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD008189.pub3. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2021. PMID: 33914901 Free PMC article.
Cited by
-
Investigation of Uncovering Molecular Mechanisms of Alcohol-Induced Female Infertility-A Rational Approach.Reprod Sci. 2024 Dec;31(12):3660-3672. doi: 10.1007/s43032-024-01692-8. Epub 2024 Nov 1. Reprod Sci. 2024. PMID: 39485609 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Pregnancy and liver-related outcomes after alcohol-associated hepatitis: A global multicenter study.Hepatol Commun. 2025 Mar 7;9(3):e0663. doi: 10.1097/HC9.0000000000000663. eCollection 2025 Mar 1. Hepatol Commun. 2025. PMID: 40048443 Free PMC article.
-
Recalled maternal lifestyle behaviors associated with anti-müllerian hormone of adult female offspring.Reprod Toxicol. 2020 Dec;98:75-81. doi: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2020.08.015. Epub 2020 Sep 9. Reprod Toxicol. 2020. PMID: 32916273 Free PMC article.
-
Dietary and Lifestyle Interventions to Mitigate Oxidative Stress in Male and Female Fertility: Practical Insights for Infertility Management-A Narrative Review.Metabolites. 2025 Jun 8;15(6):379. doi: 10.3390/metabo15060379. Metabolites. 2025. PMID: 40559403 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Nutritional Deficiencies and Subfertility: A Comprehensive Review of Current Evidence.Cureus. 2024 Aug 8;16(8):e66477. doi: 10.7759/cureus.66477. eCollection 2024 Aug. Cureus. 2024. PMID: 39246987 Free PMC article. Review.
References
-
- Chandra A, Copen CE, Stephen EH. Infertility and impaired fecundity in the United States, 1982–2010: data from the National Survey of family growth. Natl Health Stat Report. 2013:67. - PubMed
-
- Abuse S, Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). 2015:2016. https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/NSDUH-DetTabs-2015/NSDUH.... Accessed 15 Feb 2017.
-
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). NIAAA Council Approves Definition of Binge Drinking. NIAAA Newsletter. 2004;3.
Publication types
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Other Literature Sources