Intake of alcohol during pregnancy is known to be associated with many adverse complications. One study reveals a link between pregnant women drinking and lowered sperm count in male offspring; this was a prolonged study that followed the study group for two decades. The findings of this study state that there is an apparent association between prenatal alcohol exposure and low sperm count. In addition, this response is inversely correlated with maternal intake; the more the mother drank during pregnancy, the less the son’s total sperm concentration. The highest exposure group (>4.5 drinks per week) was the most significantly impacted, with a 30% decrease in sperm count when compared to those exposed to less (<1 drink per week). Sperm motility and morphology was not found to be statistically different from the norm, just sperm count. This effect has not been proven to be causal, but the association exists. (1)
