# IVF and alcohol ...



## amj2906 (Apr 5, 2011)

Hello All!

So we all know booze and baby making don't go well together but I'm interested to know how far you and your partners have gone in cutting down/cutting out. 

I have significantly cut down for the last 6 months of TTC but still have a few glasses of wine from time to time. I think when I start IVF I'll stop completely, or at least that's the plan. 

But what about the other half. What are your experiences or tips for handling their drinking (or not drinking) during lead up to/during IVF. I think I'll really struggle to get my DH to stop altogether, best I can hope for is moderation. Anyone in same boat?



A couple of friends have indicated that I'm being too soft and should make him give up but that's easier said than done. (His tests have all come back normal)

AMJ x


----------



## staceysm (Nov 18, 2010)

Hi,

In my experenice it doesn't change the outcome of IVF.  We to had unexplained and DH still had the same amount of alcohol and I cut down to 1 or 2 glasses a week through the 2ww to.

It strange, as my friend had ICSI which failed and her and her DH stopped drinking for 3 months and got a BFN. They then started drinking, eating rubbish and she then got a natural pregnancy 3 months later and now has a son.

Good luck and do what is right for you.

x


----------



## darinasl (Apr 21, 2011)

No expert here, just going through my first ICSI, had egg collection Monday and embryos doing well so far.
Both my DH and I enjoy a few drinks but my DH gave up completely for the last 3 months (as well as giving up smoking) as our fertility problems seems to be male factor - it took him over 6 months to get around to the smoking bit but he has lasted so far.
I tried to cut down to a few glasses of wine a week for the last three months and stopped drinking alcohol and cafeine completely since starting the drugs - don't know if it'll make any difference to the result but we both feel that if it's not a success at least we won't feel we could've done more! It's tough going but hopefully will be worth it! Best of luck to you both


----------



## lollipops (Oct 17, 2009)

I have usually allowed myself and DH to share a bottle of wine over the weekend right up to beginning of tx but never during. 
This time round I have stopped drinking completely , and by the time I start my next tx I will have given it up for roughly 3 month. Will it make any difference? Who knows! Just wanted to approach this tx from a different angle . I must add that this balmy weather is making not drinking v.hard! I am gagging for an ice cold cider! Lol. 
But I feel like I will have let myself down by having a drink. But at the same time I think tx is hard enough as it is without punishing yourself even more so.
It's a personal choice. No right or wrong answer really. Just go with what you feel is right for you both.x


----------



## Jen xx (Mar 14, 2011)

hey girls

like u said urself,alcohol and babies dont mix..

the books say though if u want to drink just make sure its only 1-2 units a week so 2 glasses of wine or there abouts..

i quit completely before ET and my hubby rarely drinks so there is no prob,he could go one month to the next without givin it a second thought..

i think its mainly in the head though lol..

im headin away this weekend and im gonna buy bottle of non alcoholic sparklin wine so i dont feel left out when everyone else is havin a few 

anyway good luck to all u lovely ladies..

hope u get the best present ever 

Jen xx


----------



## ♥MillyMax♥ (Nov 21, 2005)

Hi Ladies

This is Zita West's response to alcohol:- 

Article taken from Zita's website (below)

Studies have shown a definite link between miscarriage and alcohol consumption, and regular excessive drinking will affect sperm production in men. The guidelines for ‘safe’ alcohol consumption is 14 units a week for women, and 21 units a week for men. A unit of alcohol is the equivalent of one small glass of wine, a single measure of spirits, and half a pint of beer or cider. The recommendation at Zita West clinics is total abstinence for both partners in the week leading up to ovulation and possible conception. Otherwise, a couple of units a week is fine – but for many couples this may mean a complete reassessment of drinking habits. 

Article taken from new magazine Healthy Food (May issue)    'If a woman drinks between two and three glasses of white wine, for instance, in the week leading up to and during IVF, the chances of it being successful drops by a quarter'


----------



## lconn (Sep 4, 2009)

well my first and second try had odd drink whilst down regging then stopped while stimmin onwards but got 3 embies first go and only 1 2nd go but they told me on 3rd theyd stim me for a day longer to mature eggs. Anyway id given up alcohol for 5 mths when i was doing 3rd go and dh had except for one time (christening)Anyway i ended up taking to well to the drugs this time despite the same dose and so cos of a high risk of ohss couldnt have fresh transfer and i got 5 really good 3 day embies on ice.I still though havent drank (7mths) cos of the fet in june plus you also think poss natural pregnancy.What a bummer  though dont miss hangovers.


----------



## amj2906 (Apr 5, 2011)

Hello girls. Really good to read about your experiences and thoughts and thanks for the quotes MillyMax. 

So far this weekend I'm taking a "little bit of what you like is good for you" viewpoint but I'm definately going to stop in a few weeks when I start meds. I think I'm going to tell DH that he needs to stop once I start stimming - he should be able to manage that! But with it taking 90 days to make sperm maybe it'll be too late to make a difference - but it won't do any harm either - and it'll make me feel better! 

A x


----------



## Faithope (Jan 16, 2011)

DH and I are due to have IVF in June/July. We had a glass of wine on thursday-I say a glass, I had 6 sips then threw it away. DH drank the glass. Yesterday I had 4 lager shandies that were very weak, DH had 2 cans of beer.

I read the wine bottle label and it had a 'warning' on it 'when trying to concieve' on it. That was enough to make me feel gulity!

I don't know if it makes any difference whatsoever....


----------



## Sheilaweb (Mar 21, 2006)

I gave up alcohol completely from 1st January to get my body in tip top shape for starting icsi in the April.... hubbys not a big drinker anyway so it wasnt an issue for us.
Yes the baby books and fertility experts all say full abstination is the way forward.... but if you're soo stressed by treatment etc, I'm sure an odd glass now and again cant hurt, as long as its in moderation.....crikey how many babies are born as a result of a drunken night out in the UK !!!!

For me it was my choice to become a nun overnight - I even gave up my daily fix of diet coke and went onto fresh fruit juices and water - I just didnt want to get to the end of the treatment with a BFN, look back and think I wish I hadn't done that! For me I wanted to go through the process by the book, healthy diet, exercise - if I was going to get a bfn it wouldnt be down to anything I'd done wrong...and thereby wouldnt be adding a guilt trip to my woes.
Wishing everyone all the best
Sheila


----------

