A prospective study of the effects of female and male marijuana use on in vitro fertilization (IVF) and gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT) outcomes.
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Prospective cohort study of exposure and clinical outcomes
PubMed 16458631 · doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2005.08.020
What was done
Prospective cohort study of 221 couples undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) or gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT) to evaluate how lifetime and recent marijuana use by females and males affects assisted reproductive and neonatal outcomes.
What was found
Women smoking marijuana >90 times in their lifetime had 27% fewer oocytes retrieved (P = .03) and 1 fewer embryo transferred (P < .05). Women smoking >10 times in their lifetime had infants 17% smaller at birth (P = .01). Men smoking 11 to 90 times in their lifetime had a 15% decrease in infant birth weight (P = .03); smoking >90 times was associated with a 23% decrease (P = .01). Maternal marijuana use 1 year prior to treatment was associated with 25% fewer retrieved oocytes (P = .03), and couples had 28% fewer fertilized oocytes (P = .04). Female and male use in the prior 15 years was associated with 12% (P = .04) and 16% (P = .03) smaller infants, respectively.
Why it matters
This study suggests that cumulative and recent marijuana exposure by either partner may impair gamete yield, fertilization, and neonatal birth weight during assisted reproduction.
Limits
Marijuana exposure was self-reported and not biochemically verified. The sample size was modest (221 couples), and the abstract does not report confidence intervals, live birth rates, or adjustments for potential confounding variables like tobacco, alcohol, parental age, or underlying infertility causes.
Cited by
- supports Cannabis use by women in the prior year decreases retrieved oocytes by 25%, decreases fertilization rates by 28%, and increases miscarriage rates.