INFERTILITY IN WOMEN AND MODERATE ALCOHOL-USE

Objective. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationsh ip between moderate alcohol intake and fertility. Methods. Interviews were conducted with 3833 women who recently gave birth and 1050 women from seven infertility clinics. The case subjects were categorized bas ed On the infertility specialist's assignment of the most likely cause of infertility: ovulatory factor, tubal disease, cervical factor, end ometriosis, or idiopathy Separate logistic regression models were used to assess the relationship between alcohol use and each type of infer tility, adjusted for age, infertility center, cigarette smoking, caffe ine use, number of sexual partners, use of an intrauterine device (for tubal disease), and body mass index and exercise (for ovulatory facto r). Results. We found an increase in infertility, due to ovulatory fac tor or endometriosis, with alcohol use. The odds ratio for ovulatory f actor was 1.3 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.0, 1.7) for moderate d rinkers and 1.6 (95% CI = 1.1, 2.3) for heavier drinkers, compared wit h nondrinkers. The risk of endometriosis was roughly 50% higher in cas e subjects with any alcohol intake than in control subjects (OR = 1.6, 95% CI = 1.1, 2.3, at moderate levels; OR = 1.5, 95% CI = 0.8, 2.7, a t heavier levels). Conclusions. Moderate alcohol use, may contribute t o the risk of specific types of infertility.