Which drugs can affect fertility in females?

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Various prescription medications may affect female fertility. These include the following:

Prescription NSAIDs

A doctor may prescribe NSAIDs that are stronger than OTC varieties to treat pain and inflammation in long-term conditions such as arthritis. Prescription NSAIDs inlude:

• celecoxib (Celebrex)
• diclofenac (Voltaren, Cataflam)

More research is necessary to determine whether NSAIDs have a significant effect on female fertility. Some research suggests taking NSAIDs may disrupt ovulation and affect prostaglandin.

This could prevent or delay the egg from traveling to the entrance of the fallopian tube, which could affect a person’s ability to become pregnant.

However, there is no good evidence to suggest that OTC NSAIDs reduce fertility.

People who are trying to get pregnant can discuss NSAID use with their doctor. Doctors typically do not recommend taking NSAIDs during pregnancy or nursing.

Psychiatric medications

Some psychiatric medications, including certain antipsychotic drugs, may interfere with hormonal regulation and ovulation.

Medication such as risperidone (Risperdal), an atypical antipsychotic, may increase levels of the hormone prolactin. High prolactin levels can prevent ovulation.

A doctor may prescribe Risperdal to treat the following:

• bipolar disorder
• schizophrenia
• depression

Doctors often prescribe selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) to treat depression. A 2019 review found that six out of seven studies did not find significant associations between SSRIs and decreased fertility in females.

Spironolactone

Spironolactone is a medication doctors may prescribe to treat the following:

• heart failure
• edema
• high blood pressure

Spironolactone may affect the menstrual cycle, which can lead to temporary infertility. A person’s menstrual cycle should revert to normal within around 2 months of stopping the medication.

Various recreational drugs may affect female fertility. However, further research is necessary to determine the associations between some illegal drugs and fertility.

Recreational drugs that may affect female fertility include:

• Tobacco: The majority of studies on tobacco and female fertility suggest that smoking decreases fertility. Smoking may affect ovarian reserve markers, which include hormone levels, and may increase the risk of health conditions that can affect fertility.
• Cannabis: Cannabis may delay or inhibit ovulation, which could affect fertility.
• Addictive illegal drugs: There is a lack of research on the effects of addictive drugs, such as cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin, on female fertility. In animal studies, cocaine and methamphetamine affected hormone functioning and fertility. Older research suggests that heroin use may cause menstruation to temporarily stop.

There is not enough good evidence to suggest an association between alcohol use and decreased female fertility.

Chemotherapy may affect the ovaries, preventing them from releasing estrogen and eggs. This may cause temporary or permanent infertility.

Chemotherapy drugs can sometimes cause ovarian failure. This means the ovaries are no longer able to function properly, which can result in permanent fertility issues.

It can be possible for people who have received chemotherapy to conceive, depending on the circumstances of their condition and treatment.

It is very important that a person who is going to have chemotherapy and wants to conceive to discuss fertility with a doctor. There is often an option for fertility preservation methods before the chemo starts, such as freezing eggs.

It is best to ask about these options as soon as possible, even if a doctor does not bring them up, as fertility issues from chemotherapy can be irreversible.

As the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate herbal supplements, there is a lack of evidence on their potential effects on fertility.

Various herbal supplements may interact negatively with medications, which can cause adverse effects. Herbal supplements may not be safe for people who are trying to become pregnant, those who are pregnant, or people who are nursing.

Herbal supplements that some people report as beneficial to fertility, such as Angelica, Vitex agnus-cactus, and black cohosh, may contribute to health problems such as ovarian hyperstimulation.

This is a potentially serious complication that can result in severe pain and blood clotting.

Other supplements that may affect fertility and pregnancy include:

• Diosgenin: Taking diosgenin, a supplement manufacturers extract from yams, may affect progesterone levels during infertility treatment. This may result in a lower probability of pregnancy.
• Ashwagandha: Ashwagandha may interact with medications and increase the side effects of thyroid hormones.
• Cannabidiol (CBD): It may be unsafe for a person to take CBD during pregnancy.
• Chasteberry: It is potentially unsafe for a person to take chasteberry during pregnancy.
• Red raspberry leaf: People need to avoid red raspberry leaf during pregnancy.

Fertility drugs may increase a person’s chances of becoming pregnant, although no specific medication can guarantee a person will conceive. Some medications may benefit specific people, depending on their underlying fertility issues.

Types of fertility drugs vary and may include medications to support ovulation, such as clomiphene (Clomid) or letrozole (Femara).

Many doctors can also recommend an ovulation “trigger” shot of the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin.

Hormone treatments before artificial insemination and drugs that are part of in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments can also boost fertility.

Certain drugs may affect fertility in females. These include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), some prescription drugs, including psychiatric medications and spironolactone, and chemotherapy drugs.

Recreational drugs, such as tobacco, cannabis, and illicit addictive substances, may decrease female fertility. Some herbal supplements may also affect fertility.