2023-12-18 18:37:44
No alcohol for at least three months if you want to become a father. A new study has shown that it takes much longer than previously believed – no longer a month, but three – for the ‘harmful’ effects of alcohol consumption to no longer be ‘traceable’ in the future father’s sperm. Researchers at Texas A&M University had already shown that paternal drinking habits before conception can have a negative effect on fetal development, as the sperm of men who regularly consume alcohol affects the development of the placenta and exposes the baby to the risk of brain defects and craniofacial anomalies associated with fetal alcohol syndrome (Fas), low birth weight and/or height, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and poor coordination, and even effects on IVF outcomes. In an article published in ‘Andrology’, the research team, led by Michael Golding, explains how essential it is for couples planning a pregnancy to know how far in advance to stop drinking to prevent birth defects.
“When someone consumes alcohol regularly and then stops, their body goes through withdrawal, where it has to learn to function without the chemical present,” explains Golding, a professor in the Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology in the School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. “We discovered – he underlines – that the sperm of a future father are still ‘negatively influenced’ by drinking even during the abstinence process, which is why it takes much longer for the sperm to return to normal. During abstinence, the liver experiences a perpetual oxidative stress and sends a signal throughout the male body.”
“The reproductive system interprets that signal and says, ‘Oh, we’re living in an environment that has a strong oxidative stressor. I need to program the offspring to be able to adapt to that kind of environment.” And that adaptation of the spermatozoa is not advantageous but leads to problems such as Fas”, remarks Golding.
3-4 beers several days a week are enough to expose the fetus to risks
Currently – the study recalls – doctors are only required to verify that the mother has consumed alcohol, and not the father, to diagnose a child with Fas. “For years there has been no consideration of alcohol consumption by males. With our study – continues Golding – we wanted to see how long it would take for the effects of alcohol on sperm to fade. We thought it would be a return to normal relatively quickly, but that wasn’t the case.”
Not only. The study also highlighted that it doesn’t take excessive alcohol use for a person to experience withdrawal. “In the models we are using, even drinking three or four beers after work several days a week can induce abstinence when the behavior ceases,” highlights the scientist. So, “even if you don’t feel drunk, chemical changes are happening in your body.”
The study is critical to improving pregnancy outcomes by changing the narrative about who is responsible for alcohol-related birth defects, since society has historically placed all the blame on mothers, even when they don’t consume alcohol during pregnancy. For this reason – the researchers conclude – it is essential that couples planning a pregnancy know how far in advance to stop drinking to prevent birth defects.
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