Coffee can reduce fertility

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Drinking too much coffee can reduce the chances of a woman with fertility problems getting pregnant, according to a new study.

Four cups of coffee a day can be as detrimental as the problems in pregnancy caused by alcohol, smoking or being overweight.

The study followed 9,000 women who had undergone IVF to see if they got pregnant naturally.

Approximately one in seven women did fall pregnant, however drinking at least four cups of coffee a day cut their chances of conceiving by 26%.

Experts presenting the news at a European conference stressed that the findings only applied to women with low fertility levels who wanted to maximise their chances of falling pregnant.

Scientists' questionnaires analysed how lifestyle factors affected a woman's chances of getting pregnant.

They found that drinking alcohol at least three times a week was as risky as drinking too much caffeine.

However, smoking more than one cigarette a day and being overweight cut the chances of having a baby even more.

Fertility expert Professor Bill Ledger commented that caffeine could have a mild effect on ovaries and sperm, which could pose a problem for those with poor fertility.

However, he added: 'A lot of women can have 20 cups of coffee a day and get pregnant while falling off a log, but if you're already subfertile it could push you over the edge.

'It is only a problem if you are subfertile and you overdose.'

Tuesday 8 July 2008

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