Caffeine May Reduce Fertility in Women

RENO, Nev.Women who consume excessive amounts of caffeine may find it harder to conceive, according to a new study published in the British Journal of Pharmacology. The findings may one day help with the treatment of infertility as well as some complications of pregnancy.

University of Nevada School of Medicine researchers analyzed fallopian tubes in mice and found caffeine stops the actions of specialized pacemaker cells in the wall of the tubes. These cells coordinate tube contractions so that when they are inhibited, eggs cant move down the tubes. The muscle contractions play a bigger role than the beating cilia in moving the egg towards the womb. The findings provide insight as to why women with high caffeine consumption often take longer to conceive than women who do not consume caffeine.

"As well as potentially helping women who are finding it difficult to get pregnant, a better understanding of the way fallopian tubes work will help doctors treat pelvic inflammation and sexually transmitted disease more successfully," the researchers said. "It could also increase our understanding of what causes ectopic pregnancy, an extremely painful and potentially life-threatening situation in which embryos get stuck and start developing inside a woman's fallopian tube."