Conception and alcohol

[zest99]

Another question to knowing mums - as a fortsomething trying for a second child, is it essential to stop alcohol altogether? I have cut right down, but always have a few glasses of wine here and there each week. Does it really make a huge difference? Or is it better to be less stressed and have a few drinks - just not go overboard? Thank you!

and acupuncture! Some people seem to swear by it?

I'm four sessions in to acupuncture at the moment - waiting to see if it works! :)

I've just had a good old Google regarding this very question (really, really didn't want to cut down on the booze!).

Apparently, even moderate alcohol consumption has an effect on fertility for women. Massive bummer . The study I found said a drop in fertility was noticed in women who had over 5 drinks a week (it was a Danish study- maybe they don't work in units?). But, as far as I could work out, it was something like 65% conceived when not drinking, 55% when drinking moderately.

Drinking over your weekly recommended units has an even greater effect. Annoyingly, men can still drink up to their recommended units before any effect is noticed on fertility.

(NB: this is only what I gathered after an evening's Googling, and it's all pretty confusing out there- I'm not a fertility expert or nowt!)

The getting drunk before you know you're pregnant is a separate issue- I've heard that for the first few weeks the embryo is living off the sac of the egg, and not taking its nourishment from you, so should be OK?

However, I also read that alcohol can increase the chances of miscarriage.

The conclusions? That I'm spending far, far too much time googling

(sigh) Nice cup of herbal tea, anyone?

(waves at Inshock) I went to the GP today and she recommended refelexology!

oh thanks - hadn't thought of reflexology. Worth a go!
yes - that is the problem with all the studies on google. Some say no alcohol, some say some alcohol, some say no caffeine, some say two cups of tea a day helps. It's a mine field!

When i conceived my first child at 38 I was drinking loads at the time - conceived within two months. This time around I am over 40 and it's been well over a year of trying. Nearly two. So I am just not sure what the difference can be ... I guess AGE. (though 38 is no spring chicken either!)