It may be due to health issues or abnormalities, but in general, lifestyle choices such as what you eat or drink can become contributing factors for infertility.
Does coffee make it harder to conceive? There is no significant research showing that caffeine directly causes infertility.
- For men: High amounts of caffeine might affect sperm quality, but it’s unclear whether it directly impacts male fertility.
- For women: Experts are uncertain about the exact impact of caffeine on fertility or fetal health. However, there is a strong indication that caffeine may do more harm than good.
Some studies suggest that women who consume large amounts of caffeine may take longer to conceive and are at a higher risk of miscarriage or giving birth to underweight babies. Experts recommend limiting caffeine intake when trying to conceive or during pregnancy.
One cup of coffee typically contains around 85 milligrams of caffeine, though the amount can range from 40 to 175 milligrams depending on the type of coffee bean and roasting method. Caffeine is also present in black tea, green tea, energy drinks, soft drinks, chocolate, and various other beverages. You can check the caffeine content on product labels.
What to do: Women who are trying to conceive or are already pregnant should limit their caffeine intake to no more than 200 milligrams per day, equivalent to about 2 cups of coffee.
Does smoking make it harder to conceive?
The chemicals in cigarettes, such as nicotine, damage eggs and sperm and also affect the health of the baby. Secondhand smoke is dangerous to pregnant women and harms the unborn baby in the same way as when a pregnant woman smokes herself.
Men and women who smoke are more likely to experience fertility problems and take longer to conceive compared to non-smokers. The chemicals in cigarettes damage the DNA in women’s eggs and men’s sperm. Smoking also affects hormone production in both men and women. Additionally, these chemicals impact the fertilized egg’s ability to travel to the uterus and the environment inside the uterus where the baby develops.
For men:
- Smoking can lead to erectile dysfunction.
- Since men produce sperm continuously, and it takes about three months for sperm to mature, if you are trying to conceive, it is recommended to quit smoking at least three months before conception to ensure healthy sperm.
- Heavy smoking (more than 20 cigarettes a day) may increase the risk of leukemia in children.
For women:
- Smoking increases the risk of miscarriage, low birth weight, premature birth, and birth defects.
- Women who smoke during pregnancy or are exposed to secondhand smoke (both through inhalation and from clothing) can negatively affect the development of their baby girl’s ovaries.
- Every cigarette smoked increases the risk of miscarriage by 1%.
- Smoking increases the risk of ectopic pregnancy, which often results in the loss of the baby and poses a serious danger to the mother.
Does alcohol make it harder to conceive?
Even consuming small amounts of alcohol can reduce fertility in both men and women. While there is no clear evidence on how small amounts of alcohol affect the fetus, consuming large amounts is definitely harmful.
For women:
- Drinking more than one glass of alcohol at a time increases the risk of miscarriage.
- It may lead to fetal death in the womb.
- There is a higher risk of premature birth.
- Babies may be born with low birth weight.
- Babies may suffer from Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).
For men:
- Alcohol can cause erectile dysfunction.
- It reduces sex drive.
- It affects sperm quality.
Therefore, if you are already facing infertility due to other causes, quitting alcohol, cigarettes, and caffeine may help improve your chances of conceiving. However, if you cannot quit, these factors may further complicate your fertility and prolong the time it takes to conceive.
References: YourFertility
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