Artificial sweeteners have been tied to a significant reduction in fertility, prompting health officials to warn women undergoing in-vitro fertilization to avoid fake and refined sugars.
Doctors in Sao Paulo, Brazil, studied the drinking habits of 524 female IVF patients and determined the eggs of those who frequently consumed sugar-free diet drinks were more likely to have problems conceiving and poorer quality eggs and embryos, the Financial Times of London reports.
Experts say sweeteners and other chemical additives in processed food and drink could make it harder to conceive.