Preconception alcohol use not associated with elevated miscarriage risk: Study

A new study published in the journal of Reproductive Biomedicine Online showed that there was no discernible correlation between each partner's risk of miscarriage and the type or quantity of alcohol consumed.

Fetal growth restriction, congenital birth abnormalities, and miscarriage (pregnancy loss at less than 20 weeks gestation) are among the negative consequences linked to maternal alcohol use during pregnancy. Abstinence during pregnancy is recommended by the majority of guidelines, including those created by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023). Studies on the effects of paternal lifestyle variables, including as alcohol use, on the risk of miscarriage have been conducted.

Although some research indicates that alcohol use by fathers before conception may have a negative impact on the likelihood of miscarriage, other research does not support this. Thus, estimating the relationship between preconception alcohol use by both the male and female partners and the risk of miscarriage in a sizable prospective cohort of North American pregnancy planners is the aim of the current analysis.

An ongoing online prospective cohort study of couples attempting to conceive is called Pregnancy Study Online (PRESTO). All main data was gathered via questionnaires that participants self-administered. Both spouses' baseline surveys gathered information on lifestyle characteristics, including preconception alcohol use, anthropometrics, medical history, and sociodemographics.

On follow-up surveys, female participants provided information on the results of their pregnancies. Hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for the relationship between preconception alcohol usage in both couples and miscarriage rate were estimated using Cox proportional hazards regression models.

There were 2613 men and 9414 women in the research. Approximately 27% of female individuals reported not using alcohol before getting pregnant, compared to 20% of male participants. The rate of miscarriages in pregnancies was about 20%. There was no discernible link between prenatal alcohol use and miscarriage after controlling for demographic, lifestyle, and reproductive factors.

When compared to female participants who reported no alcohol intake, the hazard ratios for those who reported 0.1–6.9, 7–13.9, and ≥14 drinks per week were 0.91, 1.06, and 0.80, respectively, in the couples-based analysis of the association between preconception alcohol use and miscarriage; for male participants, the hazard ratios were 0.94, 0.93, and 0.84, respectively.

Overall, the findings held true for all alcohol kinds (wine, liquor, and beer) as well as for age, miscarriage history, and gestational age strata. Overall, neither partner's preconception alcohol intake was linked to an increased risk of miscarriage.

Source:

Eisenberg, M. L., Scott, M., Seranio, N., Zhang, C. A., Glover, F., Ha, A. S., Hatch, E. E., Rothman, K. J., Wang, T. R., Wesselink, A. K., & Wise, L. A. (2024). Preconception alcohol consumption in both partners and risk of miscarriage. Reproductive Biomedicine Online, 104698, 104698. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rbmo.2024.104698