According to a Texas A&M University study led by Dr. Michael Golding, male alcohol usage significantly lowers the success rates of in vitro fertilization (IVF), putting more financial and psychological strain on patients.
Male alcohol consumption may affect the IVF pregnancy success rate
The study, which was just published in Molecular Human Reproduction, is a component of Golding’s ongoing investigation into the role of preconception male drinking in the emergence of alcohol-related diseases and birth abnormalities. This study emphasizes the significance of broadening pre-pregnancy and fertility messaging to highlight the risk of alcohol consumption for the developing fetus in both parents and the mother.
IVF is becoming increasingly common among infertility-challenged couples as an assisted reproductive technology (ART). According to the CDC’s preliminary birth figures, 1 in 50 kids were created via ART in 2021, roughly 2% of all kids born in the US, according to the CDC’s estimate.
Golding, an associate professor at the School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Science’s Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology Department, said that the statistics show the growing significance of looking at the contributions of both parents to pregnancy outcomes and fertility. He explained that woman is always told what to eat, to stop drinking or smoking, and other things to improve fertility, but men are never told what to avoid, which is a mistake. Golding said that chances of couples succeeding with IVF procedures are growing because the health habits of both parents are being addressed.
IVF pregnancy success rate is reduced with the amount of alcohol one consumes
Golding’s study used an animal model to examine the impact of a prospective father’s drinking on IVF pregnancy success. The model includes three groups: a control group representing men who don’t drink, a group representing men who regularly use alcohol over the permitted limit, and a group representing men who consume alcohol at 1.5 times the permitted limit.
The study’s findings showed that the likelihood of a successful IVF pregnancy decreased with the amount of alcohol a man drank before donating sperm.
