Could Switching to Decaf Boost Your Fertility?

The Scoop

Analyzing fallopian tubes in mice, researchers now think that caffeine can interfere with the muscular contractions that move eggs through the tiny conduits—a process that's critical for a successful pregnancy.

"Our experiments were conducted in mice, but this finding goes a long way towards explaining why drinking caffeinated drinks can reduce a woman's chance of becoming pregnant," says study author Sean Ward, a professor a the University of Nevada School of Medicine, in a press release. The findings, published in the British Journal of Pharmacology, also provide, "an intriguing explanation as to why women with high caffeine consumption often take longer to conceive than women who do not consume caffeine," Ward adds.

Your Fertility

You're no mouse, so does your caffeine habit really matter that much? According to researchers, the amount of caffeine that produced the infertility in mice was equivalent to what women get from drinking a couple cups of coffee daily. More reasons to reach for decaf? As MSNBC reports, other research has linked caffeine consumption with infertility, including one study that found drinking at least three cups of coffee a day lowered the chances of conceiving a child by 27 percent.

Decided to cut back on caffeine? Know there's hidden caffeine in products you may not have even thought of. Caffeine is also found in tea, colas, chocolate, some bottled waters, energy drinks, and certain medications.