IVF & Snoring: Is Your Sleep Hurting Your Fertility?
New study links frequent snoring to fewer eggs and higher risk of early pregnancy loss.
IVF & Snoring: Is Your Sleep Hurting Your Fertility?
When you're navigating IVF, you're constantly told to focus on medications, embryo quality, age, and hormone levels. But what if something as common as snoring could also impact your chances?
A new 2025 study published in Sleep Medicine has added a surprising new layer to the fertility conversation: frequent snoring may be associated with poorer IVF outcomes, including a decreased number of available oocytes and an increased risk of biochemical pregnancy loss (Wang et al., 2025).
Let’s break down what this means for your journey, and what you can do about it.
What the Study Found
Researchers from Peking University People's Hospital followed 632 women, aged 24–45 years, undergoing their first IVF cycle between 2018 and 2021. Here’s what they uncovered:
8.8% of participants reported frequent snoring, while 33.5% reported occasional snoring.
Women who snored frequently had a significantly lower number of available embryos after IVF.
Most notably, frequent snorers were more likely to experience biochemical pregnancy loss after embryo transfer (14.6%) compared to non-snorers (5.7%).
Even after adjusting for confounding factors like age and BMI, frequent snoring remained a significant independent risk factor for early pregnancy loss (aOR 2.95, 95% CI 1.06–8.24).
The takeaway? Snoring isn’t just a nuisance. It could be a red flag for deeper sleep issues that affect your fertility.
How Could Snoring Impact IVF Success?
Snoring, especially if frequent, is often a sign of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) — a condition that disrupts normal breathing during sleep. OSA has been shown to affect neuroendocrine pathways, impairing hormone balance, oxygen flow, and overall metabolic health.
Potential mechanisms include:
Disrupted hormone regulation, including melatonin, estrogen, and progesterone
Reduced oxygenation to reproductive organs
Increased inflammation, which can impair implantation
Higher levels of stress and cortisol, both of which negatively impact fertility
According to the researchers, the cost and complexity of sleep studies like polysomnography often result in underdiagnosis, especially among fertility patients. But this study suggests that screening for snoring could serve as a practical first step to identify patients at higher risk.
Why This Matters for You
If you're in the thick of IVF or preparing for treatment, sleep may feel like a low priority. But this research is a powerful reminder that your body works as a whole — and something as overlooked as snoring could be affecting your outcomes.
If you snore regularly (especially 3+ nights a week), or if your partner has noticed choking, gasping, or restless sleep, it's worth bringing this up with your doctor.
What You Can Do
Track Your Sleep: Use a sleep journal or app to monitor snoring frequency and sleep quality.
Talk to Your Partner: Ask if they’ve noticed snoring, pauses in breathing, or restless sleep.
Bring It Up at Your Clinic: Your RE might not ask about snoring unless you mention it. It’s okay to advocate for further screening.
Request a Sleep Assessment: A sleep study, even at-home, can offer helpful insight.
Improve Sleep Hygiene: Sleep on your side, reduce screen time, avoid alcohol before bed, and create a consistent bedtime routine.
This study doesn’t mean that snoring automatically leads to failed IVF cycles. But it does mean we need to start looking at fertility more holistically. If you’ve been struggling through IVF with no clear explanation, it might be time to look beyond the usual suspects.
Sources: Wang H, Liang Y, Dong X, et al. Association between snoring and in vitro fertilization outcomes among infertile women. Sleep Medicine. 2025. DOI: 10.1016/j.sleep.2025.01.013
Medical Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is intended for general informational purposes only and should not be considered as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your healthcare provider or qualified medical professional with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this blog.
