Does Moderate Alcohol Intake Decrease Fertility?
Researchers from the Department of Growth and Reproduction at the National University Hospital in Copenhagen Denmark conducted a nationwide study to determine the effect of alcohol consumption on the probability of conception.(1) (Alcohol is known to decrease steroid hormone concentrations, inhibit ovulation and decrease sperm transport in the fallopian tubes.) They recruited couples who had no known fertility problems and who were trying to conceive for the first time from members of a National trade union that represented office workers, nurses, metal workers, and day care workers. They obtained a total of 430 couples who reported after each menstrual cycle their daily and weekly consumption of smoking, caffeine and alcohol until they became pregnant or for six menstrual cycles. After six cycles of reporting, 65% (179) of the women with a weekly intake of 5 or fewer drinks conceived and 55% (75) of the women with a higher intake conceived. They also found a decrease in fecundity (aft
