Effects of maternal and paternal alcohol consumption on the success rates of in vitro fertilization and gamete intrafallopian transfer.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether the amount and timing of female and male alcohol use during IVF and GIFT affect reproductive endpoints.


METHODS
Multicenter prospective study.


METHODS
Clinics in southern California.


METHODS
Two hundred twenty-one couples with female infertility.


METHODS
None.


METHODS
Egg retrieval, transfer, fertilization, pregnancy, miscarriage, live birth, and multiple gestations.


RESULTS
Female alcohol consumption was associated with: (1) a 13% decrease in the number of eggs aspirated (adjusted 95% confidence interval [CI]: -2% to -23%, for one additional drink per day, 1 year before the IVF or GIFT attempt); (2) an increase in risk of not achieving pregnancy by 2.86 times (0.99-8.24, 1 month prior); and (3) an increase in risk of miscarriage by 2.21 times (1.09-4.49, 1 week before the procedure). For men, one additional drink per day increased the risk of not achieving a live birth by 2.28 (1.08-4.80) to 8.32 (1.82-37.97) times, depending on the time period; beer also affected live births (ORs = 5.49-45.64). This outcome may be due partially to increased risk of miscarriage by 2.70 to 38.04 times for men who drank <or=1 month before and during IVF and GIFT.


CONCLUSIONS
This is the first study to report an association between alcohol use and reproductive endpoints of IVF and GIFT. Because alcohol use is ubiquitous, modifying drinking habits may increase assisted reproductive technology success rates.
Klonoff-Cohen
Hillary
H
Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, California 92093, USA. hklonoffcohen@ucsd.edu
Lam-Kruglick
Phung
P
Gonzalez
Cristina
C
D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000453:epidemiology; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology; D010332:Paternal Behavior; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018401:Sample Size; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017211:Treatment Failure; D016896:Treatment Outcome