Women who count down the minutes to 'wine o'clock' - the relaxing tipple at the end of a busy day - risk damaging their chances of having a baby.
It can become a dangerous compulsion and a single nightly glass of wine can herald danger ahead, experts have warned.
Women, particularly well-educated professionals, need to wake up to the fact that the concept of 'wine o'clock' - the nickname for the hour at which the first drink of the day is poured - isn't as innocent as it seems.
"The risk is that it becomes a crutch and that's when things can start to go wrong," explained Pauline McKeown, chief executive of the Coolmine Therapeutic Community, which helps people battling drug and alcohol addiction.
"Women tend to be at home more than men, and have the bulk of responsibility around childcare.
"As a result they may not have the availability to go out and socialise, and if things are not good in their life, then that one or two glasses of wine can very quickly lead to a bottle or more.
"That adds up to a substantial amount of units of alcohol each week."
Source: Mark O'Regan, Irish Independent, 20/10/14
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