A new study shows that alcohol use in men has a significant negative impact on IVF success rates, increasing financial burden and psychological stress for patients.
new research in molecular human production It is part of a research program focused on understanding how preconception male drinking contributes to the development of alcohol-induced birth defects and diseases.
Researchers say this particular study highlights the importance of expanding fertility and pre-pregnancy messages to highlight the reproductive dangers of alcohol use by parents, not just mothers. said.
Couples struggling with infertility treatments are increasingly conceiving children using assisted reproductive techniques (ART), such as in vitro fertilization (IVF). According to the CDC’s preliminary birth data, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that about 2% of all babies born in the United States are conceived using her ART.
These statistics underscore the growing importance of examining the contributions of parents to fertility and pregnancy outcome, said Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. said Michael Golding, an associate professor at
“We have to tell the woman, ‘You have to be careful what you eat. You have to quit smoking. You have to do all these different things to improve your fertility,'” Golding says. “We don’t tell men anything. It’s wrong. Because all we’re looking at here is addressing the health habits of the parents and the potential for successful IVF for couples.” because it is rising.”
Golding’s study used a mouse model to determine the effect of potential paternal drinking on the pregnancy outcome of in vitro fertilization. The model included a control group representing men who did not drink alcohol, a group representing men who were chronic drinkers at legal limits, and a group representing men who were chronic drinkers of 1.5 times their alcohol consumption. It was Legal Restrictions.
Results reveal that the more a man drinks before donating sperm for an IVF pregnancy, the less likely the pregnancy will be successful.
“By looking at the negative effects in both the legal limit group and the group who drank 1.5 times the legal limit, it became clear that the situation worsened as alcohol consumption increased,” says Goal. Mr Ding says. “It really surprised me. I was really emphasizing what I was giving.
Alexis Roach, a doctoral candidate and first author of the study, who helps conduct research in Golding’s lab, describes their findings and other work done in Golding’s lab. challenges the predominantly maternal-focused narrative of previous IVF research.
“The most important aspect of this study is that it reveals that everyone has a role to play in achieving successful pregnancy outcomes.” If you are thinking of having a baby, abstain from alcohol until your wife is pregnant.”
The study concludes that alcohol use in men interferes with the embryo’s ability to implant in the uterus and reduces embryo survival in IVF. The study also uncovered questions about fetal development and paternal drinking.
Golding’s lab continues to explore these issues and the paternal side of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, a set of symptoms that can occur when a person is exposed to alcohol before birth. . His research aims to provide a complete picture of understanding fetal development and pregnancy by examining the role of the father.
For now, the next step in improving IVF pregnancy outcomes is to put the findings from this study into the hands, eyes, and ears of those considering ART to help start a family of their own. He says it’s a matter of getting it in.
“It’s important to remember that couples struggling with infertility who choose to pursue IVF are under intense emotional and financial pressures associated with feelings of helplessness,” Golding says. .
“Our study shows that alcohol consumption is an unrecognized factor that adversely affects the pregnancy success rate of IVF. We are identifying common action items that can empower couples to work together towards their goal of conceiving.”
Source: Rachel Knight, Texas A&M University