Beverage intake and ovarian reserve among women from a fertility center

Abstract

To evaluate the associations of caffeinated, alcoholic, and sweetened beverage intakes with antral follicle count (AFC), a well-accepted biomarker of ovarian reserve. Observational prospective cohort study. Fertility center at an academic hospital. This study includes 567 women seeking fertility care at the Massachusetts General Hospital who participated in the Environment and Reproductive Health Study. None. Women self-reported consumption of caffeinated (coffee, tea, soda), alcoholic (wine, beer, liquor), sugar-sweetened, and artificially sweetened beverages using a validated food-frequency questionnaire. Antral follicle count was assessed using a transvaginal ultrasound performed on the 3rd day of an unstimulated menstrual cycle or on the 3rd day of a progesterone withdrawal bleed. Median (interquartile range) age and AFC were 35.0 (32.0-38.0) years and 13.0 (9.0-18.0), respectively. Median (range) intake of caffeinated, alcoholic, sugar-sweetened, and artificially sweetened beverages in servings/day were 1.08 (0-7.08), 0.35 (0-3.84), 0.04 (0-4.80), and 0.04 (0-7.50), respectively. All examined beverages were unrelated to AFC. The multivariable adjusted mean AFC (95% confidence interval) for women in the top and bottom quartiles of intake were 13.8 (13.0-14.7) and 13.8 (12.9-14.7) for caffeinated beverages; 13.8 (13.0-14.7) and 13.8 (13.0-14.6) for alcoholic beverages; 13.5 (12.6-14.4) and 13.3 (12.4-14.2) for sugar-sweetened beverages; and 13.2 (12.4-14.1) and 13.4 (12.6-14.3) for artificially sweetened beverages. Low-to-moderate intakes of caffeinated, alcoholic, sugar-sweetened, and artificially sweetened beverages were unrelated to ovarian reserve, as measured by AFC, in a cohort of women seeking fertility care.