Female fertility is especially prone to disruption and many drugs can disrupt the proper function of the processes involved in conception.
Illegal drugs affect women’s fertility in a variety of different ways. For women who use more than one of these drugs (such as someone who smokes, drinks alcohol, and uses marijuana), the effects can add up:
- Cannabis disrupts the menstrual cycle and decreases ovulation
- Stimulants, such as cocaine and crystal meth cause adverse effects at most levels of the reproductive system and cause a high rate of miscarriages
- Opioids disrupt pituitary and hypothalamus hormone production, causing menstrual irregularities and halting ovulation
Drug misuse is also associated with risky sexual behaviour, which can cause unwanted pregnancies. Risky sexual behavior may also lead to sexually transmitted infections that can result in infertility, including pelvic inflammatory disease.
Read also: Medications That Can Greatly Affect Female Fertility
Drug use can also lead to weight loss, poor nutrition, sleep disruption and general physical deconditioning. Each of these side effects can interrupt menstrual cycles and ovulation.
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