While smoking has long been known to reduce a person's fertility and harm their chances of getting pregnant, the latest study from scientists at Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark indicates that a high intake of coffee could be just as bad.
Meanwhile, separate research from the Harvard School of Public Health indicates that women who are trying to conceive may want to avoid eating too much butter, fatty meat and cheese, as these foods could reduce the number of eggs they produce.
In the first study, the Danish researchers looked at almost 4,000 patients who were undergoing infertility treatment.
They found that those who drank five or more cups of coffee each day were 50 per cent less likely to get pregnant, while this level of consumption was also associated with a 40 per cent reduction in live birth rate.
Presenting their findings at the annual meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, the researchers claimed that the adverse impact of heavy coffee drinking was "comparable to the detrimental effect of smoking".
Dr Ulrik Schioler Kesmodel, from Aarhus University Hospital's fertility clinic, added: "Although we were not surprised that coffee consumption appears to affect pregnancy rates in IVF, we were surprised at the magnitude of the effect."
Meanwhile, the US study - which was presented at the same scientific meeting - involved 147 women who were having IVF at Massachusetts General Hospital.
The researchers found that women who ate large amounts of saturated fats tended to have fewer eggs available for collection to be used in their treatment.
The two studies highlight the importance of following healthy diet plans when trying to conceive, particularly for those undergoing fertility treatment.Could diet affect your chances of IVF success?
Women who are going through IVF could increase their chances of success by avoiding caffeine and eating less saturated fat, new research suggests.
While smoking has long been known to reduce a person's fertility and harm their chances of getting pregnant, the latest study from scientists at Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark indicates that a high intake of coffee could be just as bad.
Meanwhile, separate research from the Harvard School of Public Health indicates that women who are trying to conceive may want to avoid eating too much butter, fatty meat and cheese, as these foods could reduce the number of eggs they produce.
In the first study, the Danish researchers looked at almost 4,000 patients who were undergoing infertility treatment.
They found that those who drank five or more cups of coffee each day were 50 per cent less likely to get pregnant, while this level of consumption was also associated with a 40 per cent reduction in live birth rate.
Presenting their findings at the annual meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, the researchers claimed that the adverse impact of heavy coffee drinking was "comparable to the detrimental effect of smoking".
Dr Ulrik Schioler Kesmodel, from Aarhus University Hospital's fertility clinic, added: "Although we were not surprised that coffee consumption appears to affect pregnancy rates in IVF, we were surprised at the magnitude of the effect."
Meanwhile, the US study - which was presented at the same scientific meeting - involved 147 women who were having IVF at Massachusetts General Hospital.
The researchers found that women who ate large amounts of saturated fats tended to have fewer eggs available for collection to be used in their treatment.
The two studies highlight the importance of following healthy diet plans when trying to conceive, particularly for those undergoing fertility treatment.
