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Expert Q&A
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| By Michael D Benson, MD Attending Physician, Highland Park Hospital, IL | ||
How does the father's health, nutrition, alcohol consumption, etc. affect sperm health and production?

The short, general answer, is not very much. Of course, the answer is not terribly different for women. Barring extremes, fertility is not terribly affected by nutrition or alcohol consumption. Certainly alcohol can damage a developing embryo, but there is no thought that it damages the egg or the sperm before fertilization. Long-term, life-threatening conditions can impair fertility but these illnesses will also affect all aspects of living."
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- I have ovarian cysts. Will they dissolve on their own? Is there any danger in trying to conceive right now? Does having ovarian cysts decrease the chances of becoming pregnant?



