Does alcohol affect fertility?

Can you drink while trying to conceive?

Most official guidelines tend to recommend that you stop drinking altogether while you’re trying to get pregnant. This is mainly because most people don’t know they’re pregnant until they are at least a few weeks along, and alcohol is harmful to the baby’s development. In short, this is a simple way to avoid accidentally exposing the embryo to alcohol between the time of conception and the first positive pregnancy test [1, 2]. 

Since you’ll need to stop drinking alcohol once you’re pregnant, you may also find that transition easier if you start limiting your intake while trying to conceive.

Research also indicates that it may take longer to get pregnant if you drink a lot of alcohol, especially if you do so regularly [3, 4]. However, a more moderate approach (as with most things in life) will likely not have a big impact on your chances of conceiving, even though the science doesn’t give a clear-cut answer on the exact amount you need to drink for fertility to be affected.

Drinking during ovulation when trying to conceive

At this point, you might also be wondering if there are any times in the menstrual cycle when it’s safe to drink. The answer is, unfortunately, not entirely straightforward here either, as there aren’t many studies done on drinking at specific times in the cycle. 

However, the studies that do exist suggest that it may be good to avoid alcohol during ovulation and the fertile days in your cycle if you’re trying to conceive, or at least limit how much you drink. 

In one study, the results showed that women who had more than 6 alcoholic drinks per week and drank around ovulation had a lower chance of conception compared to those who didn’t drink at all. (This study, however, has limitations since it only used estimations of cycle phases based on cycle length.) While the reason why isn’t entirely understood, a possible explanation is that alcohol disrupts the hormonal balance during the cycle [5]. 

A new study on 400 Australian women also found that drinking alcohol around the time of conception (which happens at ovulation) could increase the risk of problems with the placenta during pregnancy, which supplies the baby with oxygen and nutrients [6].

Keep in mind that we're only human, and if you've been enjoying the occasional drink while planning your pregnancy, don't be hard on yourself. If possible, try to avoid alcohol during fertile days going forward.

Drinking during implantation and the two-week wait

The general recommendation is to avoid drinking after ovulation and for the remainder of the luteal phase (until your period is due to arrive). In the study we mentioned earlier, both heavy drinking (more than 6 drinks per week) and more moderate amounts of alcohol (3-6 drinks per week) during this phase of the cycle were linked to lower chances of getting pregnant [5].

However, the most important reason why it’s best to avoid drinking at this point in the cycle is that it’s possible that a pregnancy has started to develop even though it’s too early to detect it.

Conception — when the sperm fertilizes the egg — technically happens at ovulation, but a pregnancy test won’t show as positive until roughly two weeks later [7]. That’s why this second phase of the menstrual cycle (the luteal phase) is often called the two-week wait. The fertilized egg attaches to the uterine wall around 8-10 days after ovulation in a process called implantation [8]. After that, it takes a few more days for the level of hCG (the hormone the pregnancy test looks for) to increase enough for a test to detect it.

Alcohol during pregnancy

Once you know that you’re pregnant, you should avoid alcohol altogether. Drinking any amount of alcohol during pregnancy can increase the risk of miscarriage, preterm labor, and negatively impact the physical and mental development of the baby, sometimes resulting in lifelong problems [1]. 

If it turns out you had a drink before you discovered you were pregnant, don’t be hard on yourself. What’s important is that you take steps now to cut out alcohol for the rest of the pregnancy.

How does alcohol affect fertility?

One thing that’s clear when it comes to research on alcohol and fertility is that regular heavy drinking has a negative impact (which might not be very surprising, as it also affects our health in general). Several studies show lower fertility in both women and men under these conditions [3, 9, 10].

However, when it comes to more moderate drinking habits, different studies have found varying results. While some studies have found little or no effect on fertility for occasional and moderate drinking [11], others have found that any alcohol intake can decrease fertility [4]. 

Alcohol and hormones

To complicate things, the truth is we still don’t know exactly how alcohol affects fertility, or at what amount these effects happen. It’s likely that fertility is affected because of how alcohol impacts our hormone levels, but more research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms behind it. 

Alcohol can disrupt how our bodies produce several hormones, such as estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, follicle–stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). These are all involved in our reproductive system and play a role in both female and male fertility [9].

For women, they are involved in regulating the menstrual cycle, and changes to the hormonal balance can lead to irregular cycles and problems with ovulation (such as missing or late ovulation). This, in turn, may impact our ability to get pregnant [3]. In men, disrupting the balance of the reproductive hormones can affect sperm production and libido [9]. 

Alcohol and female fertility

Now, let’s turn to some specifics on how this may impact female fertility. Again, the science is quite clear in showing that a high consumption of alcohol is bad for us, but less so when it comes to moderate drinking.

In one study, having between 1-5 drinks per week has been linked with lower chances of getting pregnant [12], while another found that anything under 14 servings per week had no effect on fertility [11]. It’s also possible that our age plays a role. For example, one study found that women over 30 who drank more than seven drinks per week had a lower chance of conceiving compared to those who had less than one drink per week. The same didn't seem to be the case for the under-30s group, who didn't show a correlation in the amount of alcohol consumed vs conception [13].

One large meta-study (which summarized results of 19 other studies) concluded that any alcohol intake lowers fertility, but how big an impact it has depends on how much you drink. In short, the impact is small at low doses, and the chances of pregnancy decrease with higher alcohol consumption [4].

With all this in mind, cutting back on alcohol when you’re trying to get pregnant won’t hurt — it could have a positive effect, if any. However, remember to be kind to yourself as well. Trying to conceive can come with a lot of pressure, but no one is perfect all the time. Having a glass here and there is most likely fine.

Male fertility and alcohol

It can feel like there are a myriad of things you need to do to prepare your body for pregnancy. However, it takes two to tango. Male fertility can also be affected by alcohol, so partners can also benefit from cutting back while trying to conceive.

Several studies have looked at how alcohol affects sperm count and quality. One such study on 1,221 men found that more than 5 units of alcohol per week resulted in lower sperm quality compared to men who didn’t drink at all. These effects were even more noticeable for heavy drinkers who had more than 25 units per week [14].

Another large-scale meta-analysis, which summarized findings from several studies, found that alcohol had a negative impact on both the amount of semen produced and sperm quality. Again, daily drinking was linked to worse outcomes, while occasional alcohol intake didn’t affect sperm as much. The study concluded that more research is needed, but that heavy alcohol intake should be avoided [15].

It’s also worth noting here that regular alcohol consumption has also been linked to reduced libido and erectile dysfunction in men, which can be a challenge when trying to conceive [3, 16].

Does drinking affect IVF?

Similar to what we’ve seen in the research on alcohol and fertility in general, results vary a bit when it comes to drinking while going through IVF or other fertility treatments. However, to summarize, it’s still a good idea to cut back on alcohol — and this applies to both partners. 

One study on 2,500 couples found that the chance of having a baby by IVF decreased by 16% for women who had at least four drinks per week, and by 21% if both partners had four drinks or more per week [17].

Another study of 1,700 couples found no such effect. Here, those who had less than seven drinks per week saw no change in the chance of getting pregnant with different types of medically assisted reproduction treatments [18].

How long after quitting alcohol does fertility return to normal?

It’s hard to give an exact answer to the question of when fertility bounces back after quitting alcohol, since it can be individual and also depends on things like how much and how often you were drinking before. Healthcare providers will recommend that you avoid alcohol when you start trying to conceive, but you may want to prepare your body a couple of months in advance, if you can [19].

It’s also worth noting that it takes around two and a half months for new sperm to be produced [20]. That means that if you make changes to your routine to improve sperm quality, it may take a couple of months to start seeing the effect.

Tips for drinking less

We know preparing for pregnancy can be a lot on its own, and cutting down on alcohol can be challenging for some of us — whether it’s due to social pressure to drink, to relax after a stressful day, because we enjoy the taste of alcoholic beverages, or because we’re struggling with alcohol. Below, we’ve listed some tips that may be helpful for cutting back:

• Lean on your support system: By telling people you trust you’re cutting back, they can support you in your choices and help you stay on track (and know not to offer you alcohol in situations where this might otherwise happen).

• Find substitutes you enjoy: Try to find non-alcoholic options that you find tasty — whether it’s flavored soda water, other soft drinks, or mocktails — that you can enjoy if you go out or just want something special to drink at home.

• Learn what motivates you: Understanding your own motivations and setting goals for yourself can help you stay on track.

• Understand your triggers: Try to identify if there are certain situations that make you want to drink, and avoid them if you can. For example, if you usually meet your friends in a bar, consider meeting for coffee or a walk instead.

• Get help from a healthcare professional: If you’re struggling with alcohol or want help cutting back, reach out to your healthcare provider. They can help with things like counselling, finding resources, or local support groups [21]. 

Plan your pregnancy with Natural Cycles

Here at Natural Cycles, we believe that knowledge is power — especially when it comes to understanding your fertility. NC° Plan Pregnancy is a dedicated experience within the NC° app that’s designed to help you get pregnant faster. The algorithm behind the app analyzes your body temperature, measured with one of our integrated compatible devices, to pinpoint your most fertile days so you know when you have the highest chance of conceiving. 

You’ll also get tips and support along the way in the form of in-app messages and guides. Plus, you’ll be able to track your body and baby’s development with NC° Follow Pregnancy once you conceive, and get support while you recover from giving birth with NC° Postpartum. Why not see if Natural Cycles can support your journey?