Alcohol and fertility

Alcohol addiction is one of the most common problems in the modern world. This problem becomes more and more widespread among underage, and the effect of the alcohol on the body that is still growing causes irreversible changes and impairs mental health. The scientists state that people who misuse alcohol more often suffer from various viral diseases because due to the impact of alcohol, the capability to resist diseases decreases.

Alcohol alters hearth rhythm, dilates blood vessels, impairs coordination and impacts the vision and blood sugar level, as well as the digestive system. Headaches, body dehydration, irreversible liver changes - are only a few impacts of the alcohol on the human body. Alcohol use affects person’s fertility. In this article, we will discuss this issue.

The effect of alcohol on endocrine profile

Both men and women have to remember that alcohol use induces the release of cortisol (stress hormone). Cortisol itself influences that person’s ability to conceive a child.

In women, cortisol influences the menstrual cycle, may cause the alterations, disruptions and lead to anovulation (the disorder characterized by the lack of ovulation meaning that woman can’t get pregnant in such a menstrual cycle, and it is necessary to visit a professional for further correction of the menstrual cycle and possibly for special ovulation stimulation if the woman plans to get pregnant).

In men, the cortisol released due to alcohol use leads to the decrease in male hormone - testosterone and elevates the level of female hormone - estrogen. Free testosterone turns into estrogen due to the action of ferments. Not only does it concern the use of beer that consists of compounds similar to female hormones. It concerns any alcohol type.

Does alcohol affect male fertility?

Generally, the use of alcohol leads to hypovitaminosis. Without the sufficient concentration of vitamins in the human body, in particular, vitamin B, phosphorus and zinc, it is impossible to expect good semen analysis results. The more alcohol does a man consume the poorest is his sperm quality. Semen analysis may detect the following diseases: asthenozoospermia, teratozoosperm, oligozoospermia.

The use of alcohol affects seminal fluid, and it has been proven that the alcohol concentration in the blood is equal to the alcohol concentration in the ejaculate.
Spermatozoa need around 2-3 months to mature, that is why if the father regularly consumed alcohol in 2-3 months before the conception, there is a risk of diseases and inborn abnormalities in the child.

Ethanol contributes to shrinking of testicles and the sperm channels narrow down. So semen analysis may show that the spermatozoa in the ejaculate is underdeveloped. It means that they may move but do not take part in fertilization. The situation is worse when such an underdeveloped spermatozoon manages to inseminate the egg. In this case, there is a high risk of giving birth to a child with abnormalities or losing the child.

Pregnancy and alcohol

The use of alcohol is harmful both on the early stages and during the whole period of pregnancy. Alcohol can easily penetrate any barriers and through the placenta and reach the child. Alcohol affects the child way more than the mother, because alcohol tends to concentrate in amniotic liquid, and it becomes a sort of reservoir.

When the mother consumes the alcohol, it leads to the delay in embryo development and insufficient nutrition, placenta dysfunction.

The children, who have been affected by the alcohol in utero, are very often born pre-term and with lowered body weight. They may present the delay in development, neurological disorders such as increased excitability, delay in mental development, difficulties with concentration, impaired speech development.

They may also present some congenital abnormalities, including cleft palate, septal heart defects, kidney abnormalities, vertebral fusions, ear abnormalities.

All the organs and body systems are formed in the first trimester, that is why in this period the fetus is the most vulnerable. In the second trimester, the use of alcohol usually leads to miscarriages and, in the third trimester, the delay in fetal development may occur, because this period is characterized by active child growth.

Female fertility and alcohol

Yes, alcohol can affect every cell of human body, so it definitely affects egg quality. Yes, alcohol can affect every cell of the human body, so it definitely affects egg quality.

At birth, the number of follicles for maturing eggs in a woman is around 50 000. During the woman’s reproductive period, only 400-500 eggs mature. When ethanol is absorbed in the blood, it destructs the DNA of eggs, and a part of them simply dies. So, there is a direct correlation between the alcohol consumption and natural follicular reserve of a woman.

But the even worse scenario is possible. If the egg with impaired DNA survives and is inseminated, there is a high risk of giving birth to a child with abnormalities. The Siamese twins are born in a result of impairment of the egg DNA.

Alcohol stimulates the production of secretory liquid in fallopian tubes that may cause a sort of obstruction of a tube. It means that the inseminated egg won’t be able to leave the tube and get into the uterine cavity and cause ectopic pregnancy.

The rules to follow before planning pregnancy

Before planning a pregnancy, the couples who use alcohol have to follow the following rules:

• get rid of bad habits;
• normalize nutrition, eat healthy, get all the vitamins and microelements, necessary for the body;
• follow health lifestyle;
• practice physical activity;
• high-quality sleep;
• in 3-4 months before conceiving the child, both man and woman should avoid alcohol.