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Written By: Editorial Team | Published : June 5, 2014 2:36 PM IST
All those people who support Marijuana and are talking about its various health benefits, need to think about it again. A recent study has shown that young wen who are addicted to Marijuana may be harming their sperm quality, thus increasing their risk of infertility.
'Our data suggests that marijuana users might be advised to stop using the drug if they are planning to try and start a family,' cautioned Allan Pacey, senior lecturer in andrology at University of Sheffield.
The research team from University of Sheffield and University of Manchester also found that sperm size and shape were worse in samples ejaculated in the summer months, but was better in men who had abstained from sexual activity for more than six days. To reach this conclusion, researchers recruited 2,249 men from 14 fertility clinics and asked them to fill out detailed questionnaires about their medical history and their lifestyle. (Read: 10 things that could cause infertility)
Men who produced ejaculates with less than four percent normal sperm were nearly twice as likely to have produced a sample in the summer months (June to August), or if they were younger than 30 years old, to have used marijuana in the three month period prior to ejaculation. However, other common lifestyle factors reported by men, including smoking cigarettes or drinking alcohol, appeared to have little effect.(Read: Could stem cells cure infertility in men?)
'In addition to cannabis exposure shown in this paper, we also know that men exposed to paint strippers and lead are also at risk of having sperm with poor morphology,' said Nicola Cherry, professor at University of Alberta. Only sperm with good sperm morphology are able to pass into the woman's body following sex and make their way to the egg and fertilise it. (Read: Can yoga beat infertility?)
The research appeared in the medical journal Human Reproduction.
What is infertility?
Infertility refers to the inability to have children. It can be divided into two broad categories primary and secondary infertility. Primary infertility refers to the inability to ever have a child. Secondary infertility refers to those cases where people have had children but fail to conceive after that.
The reasons may be acquired, genetic or influenced by lifestyle. Infertility affects men and women all around the world and is the cause of many cultural and social stigmas.
The countries with the lowest rates of female infertility are in the South American continent. It is estimated that approximately 3 to 7% of all couples worldwide suffer from infertility. Infertility has increased since the 1980s and the rate increases in proportion with the age of men and women. 40% of all issues with infertility are diagnosed in men, an equal number in women, and 20% due to complications in both partners.
Acquired female infertility is spurred on by age, tobacco smoking, diabetes, STDs, body-weight and eating disorders. The same account to male fertility with the addition of testicular factors, trauma and impotence. A blood and/or semen test can decidedly provide results and determine treatment for the same. Semen analysis, Hormone measurements hysterosalpingography and Laparoscopy are some tests that can be taken to determine infertility and its reasons.
Infertility among women can be treated up to some extent. Clomifene tablets are prescribed to women with normal estrogen levels to induce ovulation. Gonadotrophin injections are used for women that have failed to respond to clomifene or are not suitable for it. Another popular option is In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). Chances of a multiple birth increase slightly in IVF. Intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection is a remedy to treat male fertility. It is very similar to IVF except that the single sperm is injected directly into the egg. Apart from these, donor insemination and egg donation are methods to induce a pregnancy.
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With inputs from IANS
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