White wine can significantly reduce the chances of women undergoing IVF treatment becoming pregnant – while men hoping to become father should avoid beer, scientists have warned.

The Harvard Medical School found that white wine had a larger impact on women’s fertility than other drinks while beer had the most negative effect on the quality of sperm.

Sharing one bottle of wine a week can increase the risk of miscarriage or an embryo not implanting properly in the womb, reducing a couple’s chance of having a baby by over a quarter (26%). The research also found women who drank white wine at least once a week had almost a quarter (24%) less chance of a live birth.

If men drank beer every day, it decreased the chance of a live birth by 30% and increased the likelihood of a failed implantation by 38%.

“This is further evidence to suggest that alcohol does have an impact and that women who try for a baby should think about their lifestyle choices,” said British Fertility Society chairman Tony Rutherford.

Topics