Alcohol intake induces diminished ovarian reserve in childbearing age women

Aim: To investigate the adverse effects of alcohol on ovarian reserve in women of childbearing age. Material and Methods: Twenty bar hostesses between the ages of 18 and 29 with moderate alcohol consumption for over 3 years and 16 healthy women between the ages of 18 and 28 with alcohol consumption under a healthy standard were recruited. Their ovarian reserve was evaluated by measuring menstrual cycle day three (CD3) serum follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol (E2), prolactin (PRL) and testosterone (TST) levels, and by transvaginal B-ultrasound examination of uterine size, ovarian size and number of antral follicles. Results: Moderate consumption of alcohol significantly increased serum FSH level (P = 0.001), but had no effect on serum LH, E2, PRL and TST levels. Moderate alcohol consumption significantly decreased ovarian volume (P = 0.000) and number of ovarian antral follicles (P = 0.015), but had no effect on uterus size. Moderate alcohol consumption significantly increased the occurrence of menstrual flow abnormalities (P = 0.001 and P = 0.036, respectively), but had no effect on menstrual cycle. The amount of alcohol consumed positively correlated with FSH, and negatively correlated with ovarian volume and number of antral follicles in women with moderate alcohol consumption. Conclusion: Long-term moderate alcohol consumption may lead to diminished ovarian reserve.