Reproductive health depends on ovulation, a critical stage of the menstrual cycle, especially for those who want to get pregnant.
The question of whether cannabis use influences when (or if) you ovulate may be on your mind if you’re monitoring your ovulation and want to know more about what might help or hinder your overall fertility.
Cannabis use has been linked to decreased ovulation frequency and delayed or even stopped cycles, according to recent studies. Talking to a medical marijuana doctor is always advised before using marijuana for medical purposes. In order to protect you from legal repercussions and enable you to legally obtain medical marijuana in your state, the doctor will evaluate your condition, prescribe a dosage that is safe for your body, and issue you a medical card online.
Read on to find out more about the scant, if existing, research on marijuana’s impact on female fertility and ovulation.
Understanding the Impact of Marijuana Use on Ovulation
Hormones appear to play a major role in the effects of marijuana on ovulation.
According to a 2021 National Institutes of Health (NIH) study, women who used cannabis in the weeks prior to becoming pregnant had a 40% lower chance of becoming pregnant within a month than women who did not.
Researchers found that cannabis users had higher levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), the hormone that triggers ovulation, after examining participant blood samples.
Even though this might seem beneficial (you have a better chance of ovulation if you have more LH, right?), in fact, the opposite is true. Participants in the study had a higher LH ratio than follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) as a result of this increase in LH. The hormone that makes your ovaries produce more eggs is called FSH.
Your ovulation phase may be postponed or skipped entirely if your body is unable to produce a mature egg that is prepared for sperm fertilization due to a high LH to FSH ratio.
About 200 women who smoked cannabis at least once a day during the previous three months experienced ovulation delays of up to 3.5 days, according to another 2019 study. Once more, the study discovered that THC’s impact on the reproductive hormones involved in the ovulation cycle was the cause of this delay.
Even though the current research is conflicting and lacking, these findings urge further investigation into the potential evidence of THC’s ability to change the levels of reproductive hormones.
Does the Method of Marijuana Ingestion Make a Difference?
There is currently no research on how various forms of consumption (edibles, topicals, etc.) affect the female ovulation cycle. The amount of THC in the body is the main factor influencing how cannabis affects ovulation, regardless of how it was consumed.
Couples with male partners who smoke marijuana more than once a week are more likely to miscarry than couples with male partners who do not smoke, according to a study that examined the smoking habits of soon-to-be fathers. However, the effect of cannabis on male reproductive hormones may be more important than the mode of consumption.
Other Ways Cannabis Can Affect Female Fertility
In addition to its effects on the ovulation cycle, marijuana use may have adverse effects on in vitro fertilization and other fertility treatments. According to one study, ex-marijuana users had 28% fewer successfully fertilized eggs and 25% fewer successful egg retrieval attempts. There is some worry that marijuana could be harmful to the developing fetus and child because THC is present in breast milk and can also cross the placenta during pregnancy.
The majority of doctors advise against using cannabis while trying to conceive in favor of alternative pain or relaxation techniques like warm baths or light exercise, though much more research is required.
Summing Up!
It is important to keep in mind that the limited and non-randomized research on marijuana and ovulation is small. More research is needed to determine how cannabis use affects ovulation and fertility, and patients should be cautious when interpreting the results that are currently available. If you have any concerns, it’s important to talk to your doctor about cannabis use and ovulation.
Cannabis has many incredible uses and can help people in many ways. You can apply for a Charleston medical marijuana card if you are not seeking to become pregnant or are not already pregnant. The West Virginia MMJ Card Doctor virtual clinic is open and prepared to offer you beneficial guidance as you move through the application process.
