Coffee, Tea and Infertility

Women who consume high levels of caffeine appear to be more likely than other women to become infertile because of tubal disease or endometriosis. Researchers examined data from a case-control study involving 1,050 infertile women and 3,833 women with a recent birth.

When they adjusted for age, treatment location, number of sexual partners, cigarette use and IUD use, they found that tubal infertility was 50% more common among women who consumed an average of more than seven grams of caffeine per month (the equivalent of two cups of coffee, four cups of tea or four cans of cola per day) than among those with caffeine intake of three or fewer grams per month.

Similarly, endometriosis risk was elevated by 60-90% among women who consumed five or more grams of caffeine each month. Although little is known about the impact of high levels of caffeine consumption on the reproductive system, the investigators hypothesize that caffeine, which causes blood vessels to constrict, could produce changes in the function and contractility of the fallopian tubes; they also suggest that it may raise circulating levels of estrogen, which could increase the risk of endometriosis.

Last updated Jan 4/07