Many people hoping to conceive know that they should avoid drinking alcohol because it can cross the placenta and cause problems for the baby, such as Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FASD). Traditionally, fathers have been blameless. But can paternal alcohol affect sperm and cause birth defects? Research suggests that yes, it can.
Scientists have been trying to understand why some babies are born with alcohol-related health problems, even though the expectant parents claim not to have consumed a drop of alcohol during pregnancy. Animal studies and some human studies have shown a link between paternal alcohol consumption before conception and health problems in infants, including heart disease and behavioral problems.
Read on to learn about these findings and how fathers-to-be can make smart choices for their baby’s health.
Paternal alcohol use and birth defects
Research has shown that men’s sperm quality is affected by alcohol consumption, which can have a negative impact on the health of their children in the future. In one large-scale analysis, 40% of babies with birth defects reported that their fathers used alcohol when their partners were pregnant. This compares to 31.5% of those whose fathers did not drink alcohol, a statistically significant difference.
Some of the most compelling studies linking paternal alcohol consumption to infant health problems have been conducted in animals. In one study, male rats consuming large amounts of alcohol several months before conception was strongly correlated with developmental delays and cranial and facial deformities in their offspring, consistent with fetal alcohol syndrome. These findings support previous reviews of research in both humans and animals showing links between paternal alcohol consumption and low birth weight, smaller brain size, and impaired cognitive function.
Other aspects of an infant’s health may also be affected by the father’s alcohol use: Babies born to fathers who drink heavily before the third month of pregnancy have a 52% higher risk of congenital heart disease. (Heavy drinking by pregnant women increases the risk of heart disease in their unborn children by 16%).
Smoking father
Other habits of fathers may be harmful to the health of the newborn. Fathers’ smoking, in particular, seems to put children at risk. Boys whose fathers smoked before or during their partners’ pregnancies were more likely to experience obesity, respiratory problems, and headaches later in life. These children also seem to be more likely to have poor sperm quality later in life.
A Parent’s Guide to Alcohol
More research is needed before major health organizations can offer recommendations on how much alcohol prospective parents should drink. As recently as 2019, the American Academy of Pediatrics stated that “fathers’ drinking does not lead to FASD. FASD only occurs when pregnant women drink alcohol.”
But as research mounts, many experts are recommending that fathers-to-be consider limiting their alcohol intake. In a statement following a study on the link between paternal drinking and heart disease in children, Dr. Qin Jiabiao of the Xiangya College of Public Health in Changsha, China, said the study “indicates that men and women planning to start a family should abstain from alcohol.” “Excessive drinking by pregnant women is a high-risk and dangerous behavior that not only increases the chances of the fetus being born with heart defects, but also causes great harm to the health of the pregnant woman herself,” he added.
Dr. Hansa Bhargava, a pediatrician in Atlanta, agrees. “While it’s unclear how much of a factor alcohol intake plays, there does appear to be a link between the risk of fetal alcohol syndrome and the amount of alcohol a father drinks,” she said. “Until we know more, it’s best to err on the side of caution and limit your alcohol intake if you’re considering having a baby. Parents have a role to play in ensuring the best health for their baby both before and after birth.”
