Drinking While Trying To Conceive

It’s commonly known to abstain from alcohol during pregnancy, and most experts will tell you to avoid alcohol when Trying To Conceive (TTC) also.  The CDC recommends warning women of childbearing age not to drink unless on birth control.  But, the reality is many women (and men) do drink around the time of conception, whether knowingly or unknowingly.  Is it really practical that all women of childbearing age are going to avoid alcohol entirely (unless taking birth control) just in case they get pregnant? This all had me thinking, how many have had a glass (or two) of wine, had a romantic evening that ended up with a little surprise a few weeks later – not to mention 40 weeks later?  Then there are those that have been trying to get pregnant for years, pursued infertility treatment, almost given up hope, and then decide to give it a break and have a stress free margarita packed getaway, only to find out a few weeks later that they are pregnant?! How dangerous is drinking while Trying To Conceive (TTC)?  Is any amount okay or even helpful?  And, how much should you worry if you unknowingly did this before you found out you were pregnant?

That’s right – drinking while TTC.  There are lots of opinions on this, and as said the CDC recommends warning against this. But what about the many women who do?  Women who drink moderately (and I’m talking about a glass of wine with dinner, not multiple drinks several days a week), until those two lines appear usually cite the fact that implantation typically occurs near the end of the two week wait. The placenta begins to form around week 5, which is the transfer site between mom and baby’s blood supply. Many OBs hear from patients who’ve drank before they knew they were pregnant, and most of the time, they assure their patients not to dwell on it because at the time of drinking at conception the baby was not sharing moms blood supply, and that now that they know they’re pregnant, the important thing is to stay away from alcohol and eat a healthy diet. On the Harvard health blog, a study from the journal Obstetrics and Gynaecology was cited as finding that small amounts of alcohol early in pregnancy might not be as big a risk as previously thought. This doesn’t mean they’re green lighting drinking while pregnant or TTC – but if you had a drink or two during the Two Week Window or before you knew you were pregnant, you shouldn’t panic. It’s always a good idea to talk with your doctor about your drinking habits and your concerns.

The American Academy of Pediatrics states that no amount of alcohol is safe during pregnancy, which is why other women decide to lay off the alcohol while TTC.  Fertility-wise, it’s not completely clear how alcohol (or how much, exactly) affects fertility, but heavy drinking appears to impair fertility in women overall, despite all of those stories you here about infertility treatments not working and then getting pregnant tipsy and on vacation! The truth is, far more are actually helped by the treatments and hindered by alcohol than the other way around, but then that not such a great story!

Light to moderate drinking is typically considered to be no more than one drink per day.  While we know that heavy drinking can cause problems in pregnancy and birth defects, it’s not clear, exactly, how much is “heavy” drinking.  The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends no drinking at all for women who are pregnant or might be pregnant to eliminate any risk from alcohol consumption.

It’s not just women who should think about alcohol consumption, either – that’s right, guys – you, too! Men who drink alcohol regularly can have lower testosterone levels, poorer sperm quality, and impotence. Cutting back or cutting out alcohol altogether can improve all this, not to mention improve overall health.

Bottom line, drinking too much alcohol is never a good thing for your health and especially not while you are pregnant.  And, while research is showing that moderate drinking while TTC seems to be okay before implantation occurs, we just don’t know how much equals “heavy” drinking and so the best advice is still to avoid alcohol completely or if you and your doctor are comfortable with it, at least stick to light drinking (no more than one glass per day).  This is not only true while pregnant, it’s just true in general. If relaxation is what you need, then exploring options like acupuncture or yoga are a much better idea, even if a drink seems like a great idea.

I imagine this topic will continue to be controversial and difficult but it seems from what we know today, if you had a few glasses and conceived, stop drinking alcohol immediately but also don’t spend the rest of your pregnancy worrying because the research is in your favor and light/moderate drinking before implantation does not seem damaging .  However, drinking does not seem to help fertility despite what people may tell you and continuing to drink is a trickier subject and we just don’t know how much is too much.  As always, its important to be totally honest with your doctor and make sure you are on the same page.

Where do you fall? Drink until it’s pink, or sober ‘til it’s over?