Alcoholism, Women and Sex
Too often, alcohol and sex go hand in hand, whether you’re a college student on spring break or a professional woman having wine on a dinner date. Unfortunately, when alcohol addiction or alcoholism is in the equation, sex can take a morbid turn for both men and women. Diseases, unwanted pregnancies, planned pregnancies that end in miscarriage and the inability to get pregnant if you are trying are among the issues that women face when they struggle with alcoholism without treatment at an alcohol rehab facility.
Alcohol Addiction, Sex and Disease
You first heard it in grade school and afterschool specials: women who drink are more likely to have sex and regret it later than those who remain sober. Women who are addicted to alcohol are more likely than others to contract sexually transmitted diseases like Chlamydia, HPV, Hepatitis C, gonorrhea, and HIV. They are also more likely to experience unplanned pregnancies and those pregnancies, even if planned, can go dangerously awry if active alcoholism continues without treatment.
All of the sexually transmitted diseases listed above cannot only be life changing, they can all be passed to another partner before you even know you have it. Some of them are deadly; there is no cure for Hepatitis C or HIV at this time. Though it may seem easy enough to use protection, the fact is that when alcohol is a part of the equation, preventative measures are too often forgotten.
Alcoholism and Fertility
Unlike men, women don’t suffer as many reproductive issues while under the influence or actively an alcoholic. Women who are naturally reproductively challenged may have difficulties implanting a healthy pregnancy if they drink heavily and many have miscarriages early on if they drink a substantial amount on a daily basis, but in general, men will find that they are the ones who suffer from the greatest fertility issues due to alcoholism: reduced sperm count, reduced circulating testosterone, lower motility of remaining sperm and the chance of irreversible damage without abstinence attained through an evidence-based alcohol rehab program.
However, alcoholic women are more likely to be unhealthy in general and therefore may find their fertility challenged as a result.
Alcoholism, Alcohol Rehab and Pregnancy
A woman’s pregnancy is greatly affected by the amount of alcohol she drinks, especially if she is physically addicted and regularly abusing the drug. Miscarriage is the first risk: women in their first two trimesters who continue to drink heavily will experience a greater risk of losing the baby. Children who survive the pregnancy of an alcoholic mother will have a low birth weight and may have Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and be developmentally disabled both physically and mentally. Mothers who continue to drink heavily after their children’s birth and are unable to care for them as a result may have their children taken away from them.
Alcohol rehab is the only way to safely abstain from drinking, especially during a critical period like a pregnancy. At an alcohol addiction treatment center focused on women and their needs, you will find the resources necessary to not only stop drinking but remain clean and sober after you return home. Get more information about alcohol rehab for women today at The Orchid.