August 31, 2016

expert reaction to study looking at alcohol intake and female fertility

Publishing in the BMJ a group of researchers have investigated the effect of alcohol consumption on fertility in women and report that consumption of fewer than 14 servings of alcohol per week had no discernible effect.

Prof. Darren Griffin, Professor of Genetics, University of Kent, said:

“The overwhelming message of this study is “steady as she goes.” If you do drink while trying to have children, do it in moderation and don’t binge drink. One might argue that this should be a maxim for life in general.

“The Danish study is robust and well conducted, it is also refreshingly aware of its own limitations, such as that alcohol intake is self-reported (and thus may be under-reported), and the effect of alcohol consumption of male partner not measured.

“One interesting finding is that, although some previous studies have reported a positive effect of moderate drinking on fertility, this current study found no such association.

“Given the many confounding factors associated with the dual complexities of alcohol consumption effects and fertility, the authors are to be commended for producing a study with such a clear and simple outcome.”

Prof. Simon Fishel, Managing Director, CARE Fertility, said:

“Whilst it investigates a reasonably large population, with excellent statistical methods, we must not confuse ‘healthy pregnancy’ with ‘the ability to conceive’. The study implies that with up to 14 “servings” per week the chance of conceiving was no different from those who did not consume alcohol; however, as the study ended at a home pregnancy test no measure of miscarriage or even the presence of a fetal heart was reported, giving no insight into the health of the conception.

“Furthermore, the report does not say anything about those who may be struggling to conceive, for whom alcohol intake may exacerbate a sub-fertile condition; but it does recognise its limitation in not dealing with binge drinking, which in addition to potential fertility risks, may also be a risk to the drinker’s health and the baby.

“However, aside from these limitations, the study appears to give some reassurances that, in the general population who wish to conceive, moderate alcohol drinking in this population does not appear to affect the chance of conception.”

‘Alcohol consumption and fecundability: prospective Danish cohort study’ by Ellen M Mikkelsen et al. will be published in the BMJ at 23:30 UK time on Wednesday 31 August 2016, which is also when the embargo will lift. 

Declared interests

Prof. Darren Griffin: Director of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies of Reproduction (CISoR) http://www.kent.ac.uk/cisor

Prof. Simon Fishel: “I am employed by and a shareholder in CARE Fertility.”