Poll - alcohol and ivf

[twinkledag]

Did you and your husband give up alcohol before undertaking IVF?

[justkeeprunning5]

I did - I started treatment last September and can count on one hand the amount of alcohol I drank last year... this included 3 weddings & hen weekends. Was tough!

[twinkledag]

How about your husband @justkeeprunning5?

[Cailinnua]

We cut waaay back in the lead up to IVF. My husband gave up beer and only had the odd cider. I had an occasional glass of wine or g&t. Then I didn't have a drop for 9 months, so it was worth it.

[twinkledag]

It's the eternal argument I have with my husband 🙄. He says he's fine as he sticks to his units, exercises, takes supplements, drinks green smoothies, doesn't smoke.

[justkeeprunning5]

He didn’t cut back that much but did eat healthier and is very sporty. We got 6 blasts. Should we need to go again I will insist he joins me in reducing drinking so everything is thrown at the situation, but didn’t want to go too OTT the first cycle.

[DCICarolJordan]

I did on the basis it was costing so much money, I didn’t want to look back and wonder what I could have done differently if it didn’t work. My partner didn’t but our issues were all mine so I didn’t mind him drinking lightly.

[kikisparks]

My husband is long term tee total anyway but I also gave it up 2 years ago after 1 year TTC.

[itwasalovelydreamwhileitlasted]

Here's the thing - the best sperm sample my husband has ever given on egg collection day was the one 2 weeks after Xmas and he'd been drinking 4-5 bottles of wine in the weeks over Xmas and new year!

He's been doing a vegan / vegetarian healthy eating diet with no alcohol and our egg collection the other week his sample had dropped in quality!!

[Wesstywoo]

No but DH and I aren't big drinkers TBH - finding it more difficult to cut done on caffeine and sugar!

[Badgerismyname]

We did ivf a few years ago for mfi reasons (low motility) and doing it again now but I’m also now 40 and have low amh. We drink a lot less generally as we have a DS (our first cycle was successful) and our nights of going out are generally in the past but I’ve never asked DH to cut it out. I think he would be very put out if I did as he goes out so rarely and tbh I don’t know if I felt it would be to much avail. So long as he cut right down. Saying that, two weekends before EC he had a boys weekend away but doesn’t seem to have done any damage

[Badgerismyname]

Our sugar intake on the other hand is through the roof!

[Badgerismyname]

I did have to go on at him though about taking the supplements. Said they have him tummy ache... sigh.

Just realised you asked about both of us. I cut down to one of two glasses of wine a week and obv nothing once started meds.

[twinkledag]

Thanks everyone for answering! 😃

[ArkAtEee]

Yes we both did. Gave up caffeine too and both were super-fit. Didn't get pregnant from the IVF but got pregnant naturally some months later.

[Ijustlikefood]

Will be starting our first round this month and have asked the nurse this, she advised that for sperm it was what you were drinking 3 months ago that can effect quality of sample ... which was Xmas ... FFS

[Bluewater1]

Yes, no alcohol at all for 6 months prior

[EL8888]

We did and IVF didn’t work. In hindsight l would have made less sacrifices

[worriedmama16]

I still had a couple of glasses of wine most nights, right up to embryo transfer. Pregnant after first attempt.

[KazzyFroggy]

Hi, we've both given up alcohol since November and I started the injections last week... don't know if it will help but you never know! 🤞Good luck to everyone!

[maa1992]

During the injections, no. I drank quite a fair bit to be honest (nothing extreme but I had a few nights out to take my mind off it)

Cycle of egg retrieval I didn't drink much, if any.

I had OHSS so I couldn't have a fresh transfer so we had to wait two months, during the frozen transfer I didn't drink. My cycle was unsuccessful.

2nd cycle I cut out all alcohol and opted for a Mediterranean diet and Accupuncture and it worked for me.

I got 18 healthy eggs, fertilised 12 and 5 lasted to blasto stage and i did drink during the initial ivf.