Ask Me Help Desk - Marijuana and trying to get pregnant?

I cannot tell you how much I appreciate your input. I have read & read these sites & studies about how it's so difficult to conceive while traces of the drug are still in his system. You are yet another person that has given me hope. Since he has been off it I have seen such a difference in him. Such a difference that despite how much I want to have more children, I would rather him partake.

To answer your questions:
We have been trying since October. I use a site called mymonthlycycles.com to store my cycle info & symptoms. It gives me the dates I should be ovulating & what things to look for that would signal ovulation. I have an ovuscope, but haven't had much luck reading it. We are having sex several days before & two days after ovulation. I am elevated at the hips during intercourse & put a pillow under afterwords for a good 30 minutes or more before going to the restroom (just to ensure that gravity isn't another problem.) I haven't used birth control pills since we got married, 5 years ago. We used condoms. My husband wears loose boxers. Neither of us drink or smoke cigs, we aren't overweight nor do we take any medication. I am taking prenatals but I do enjoy tea & a coke a day. I know that caffeine is a no no.

Thanks Altenweg.

I wouldn't worry about the caffeine, I drank coffee before, during and after my pregnancy, I did give up smoking (cigarettes) though. :)

I'm a little confused as to why you are having sex before and after ovulation and not during.

On a positive note. You've only been trying for 7 months, and I know it seems like forever, trust me I know, every month hoping that you'll be late, hoping that it's finally happened. But statistically, 7 months is not that long. It takes the average couple 1 year or longer to conceive.

I think your first priority is to get your husband back on track, get him healthy again, concentrate on that and then start trying again. Don't get discouraged, even though it's hard not to. It will happen, sometimes it just takes time.

I wish I had a sure fire way to help, I wish I could say, do this, do that and voilà, but I don't. I do know that smoking marijuana has not been proven to have an effect on fertility, and I do know that in your husbands current state you won't be getting pregnant any time soon. I don't want to advocate drug use, because that would be illegal, but I'm sure you can read between the lines and realize that hubby needs to start doing what he was doing before in order to get back on track. :)

Good luck to you, keep us posted, and don't stress, it will happen, in time. :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by riae

shout up excon

Huh?

I did know a couple who was trying to conceive. The father somked pot, they couldn't conceive. He did stop smoking... and they did conceive. He did smoke every day, just about. I guess situations are different, as with the people.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xrayman

Secondary smoke from cigarettes and marijuana smoke IS DEADLY WHEN YOU GET CANCER FROM IT. Also the risk of miscarriage increases way above that that is considered normal-if the mother smokes (actively or passively).

Children who have to inhale smoke all their childhood run the risk of asthma, bronchitis, empheseyma and CANCER these are proven facts ordinaryguy.

So please, before commenting-get your facts right.

P.S. when I see your medical proof to say that it is totally safe for a child to inhale, I will change my mind-but I doubt that is going to happen.

excon: I understand your approach-I'm purely talking about the health of children.

All things considered, stress causes more cancer than any single element.

The list of so called cancer causing substances is endless, and changes with every new study.

Bacon, tomato's, cooking on the grill, have all been reported to cause cancer at some point.

I was raised by two cigarette smoking parents, and four cigarette smoking grandparents, not to mention all the aunts and uncles. We took family vacations, where the car would be so full of second hand smoke, us kids could hardly breathe. Every holiday, the hosting home was FILLED with second hand smoke, so much, it should be referred to as 4th or 5th hand smoke. I have smoked cigarettes myself for over 14 years now, and the other substance, oh, about 36 years now, and as you can see, I haven't died yet.

I don't recommend, or encourage anyone to do as I have done, but can't just sit by and see all the myths being spouted as gospel fact, when they are not fact at all.

While we have strayed from the original question here, and for that I apologize, but the debate piquéd my interest.

QUOTE=Altenweg: I'm a little confused as to why you are having sex before and after ovulation and not during.

We have been trying during ovu. We try for the two days prior & a day or so after as well. I heard that sperm stays in your system for up to three days so we're trying for a good week heavy each month:p

I am glad to hear of your success, it is nice to hear a helpful personal experience such as yours! Wish me luck, I need it!

Good Luck!
And you know, this is a good place to get many different answers and views. I hope you do your research and keep in good contact with your Doc. (I don't doubt that you do) I will be thinking of you... you have been added to my heart:)

Well... it takes about three months for new sperm to develop...

Lots of things can tie into fertility, and drug use is one... as is age and overall health...

So... get him exercising, drop the drugs, get him eating well, taking a good multivitamin, getting good sleep, reducing stress... and give it time.

Over 90% of couples conceive within 2 years of trying.

Quote:

I have to agree with excon on the pot issue, I've never seen an accurate study where pot smoking is concerned. Cigarettes can cause infertility, and second hand smoke from cigs is dangerous, alcohol can cause problems when trying to conceive, so can tight underwear etc. etc. marijuana, well not that anyone has proven.

People, you have to remember, the internet is not always reliable when looking for information, otherwise we wouldn't have so many people coming here to ask questions.
__________________

Marijuana Smoke Contains Higher Levels Of Certain Toxins Than Tobacco Smoke
American Chemical Society (2007, December 18). Marijuana Smoke Contains Higher Levels Of Certain Toxins Than Tobacco Smoke.
and here's another.

Quote:

How Marijuana Smoking Affects the Body

Adversely affects normal cell formation.
Produces feelings of isolation and depersonalization.
Produces shakes, lack of coordination and headaches.
Makes any mental or emotional problem worse.
Increases the heart rate.
Has 50 percent more tar per ounce than tobacco.
Decreases air flow and creates loss of lung capacity in little more than a month of regular smoking.
Produces chronic irritation of nasal and lung passages.
Creates precancerous changes in the lungs of smokers in their 20s.
Suppresses sex drive and sexual performance with prolonged use.
Can lead to impotence.
Harms the developing fetus.
Is associated with increased still births, neonatal deaths, decreased birth weight and abnormal reactions in children born to mothers on marijuana.

and some more

Quote:

Study Shows Toxins in Marijuana Smoke
Levels of Some Toxins Higher in Pot Cigarettes Than in Tobacco Cigarettes, Experts Say
By Miranda Hitti
WebMD Medical NewsReviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MDDec. 14, 2007 -- New research from Canada shows that some toxins may be more abundant in marijuana cigarettes than tobacco cigarettes.

The researchers burned 30 marijuana cigarettes and 30 tobacco cigarettes on a machine in their lab, measuring levels of chemicals in the smoke.

Ammonia levels were up to 20 times higher in marijuana smoke than in tobacco smoke. Levels of hydrogen cyanide and nitrogen-related chemicals were three to five times higher in marijuana smoke than in tobacco smoke.

Please don't criticise if you can't come up with reliable /many/accurate references to claims. I try to do this. I said "if you can come up with a study/experiment that proves the smoke is good for children to inhale I'll change my opinion.

to the OP, if you are trying to conceive, I don't care what drug you put into your body-if it affects your physiology-it will more than likeley affect your ability to conceive. Keep using pot smoking/eating it whatever-you asked if it would affect his/your fertility, I'm stating that YES it will-to what degree-who knows, there are so many variables.

Quote:

I was raised by two cigarette smoking parents, and four cigarette smoking grandparents, not to mention all the aunts and uncles. We took family vacations, where the car would be so full of second hand smoke, us kids could hardly breathe. Every holiday, the hosting home was FILLED with second hand smoke, so much, it should be referred to as 4th or 5th hand smoke. I have smoked cigarettes myself for over 14 years now, and the other substance, oh, about 36 years now, and as you can see, I haven't died yet.

YET. Please understand I mean it affects people differently, just because YOU seem okay means nothing. You need to see the use of substances on a group scale.

The level of toxicity for an individual varies, it affects us all differently. The original poster asked should her partner stop using it to conceive-YES he should. I then stated that secondhand smoke is bad for her if she is trying to conceive/has a baby in-utero. Yes it is.

P.s thanks for the reddies-you know who you are. That just makes more of us less likely to answer/provide professional and differing opinions.

Two separate studies

UB Reporter: Marijuana may impair male fertility, UB research shows

The British Fertility Society - News > Press Release

Now... don't get me wrong, an overweight man who doesn't exercise, who has a bad diet, poor health... he is also going to have some issues with sperm quality too.

Thanks for the studies- I will read them carefully : )