Hello doctor,
I am a 37 year old male. I had one wild night where we did several lines of cocaine. I have not done it before. And now my wife is pregnant. I have read studies that cocaine use in men prior to impregnation can cause birth defects, etc. Has this one night seven to eight weeks prior cause any risk to our baby? Or is the drug out of the system by then? Please explain.
Hi,
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For further information consult an obstetrician and gynaecologist online --> https://www.icliniq.com/ask-a-doctor-online/obstetrician-and-gynaecologist
Hi doctor,
Thank you so much. I have read articles that have shown cocaine use can alter the DNA and also attach itself to the sperm and travel up to the egg. Is this true? What do you think? Thank you so much for your input.
Hi,
Welcome back to icliniq.com.
I went through the article. One I would like to point out that most of the data was in experimental settings. Also the data is based on cocaine abusers or addicts.
And by your case I think it was a onetime binge. Secondly, as your article also states that the binding of cocaine was optimum at 20 minutes and thereafter declined. So, seven to eight weeks is a safe time period.
I have read plenty of more articles before answering your query and in none has there been any evidence of cocaine abuse in fathers leading to birth defects or for that matter even decreased IQ (intelligence quotient) on the baby.
For further information consult an obstetrician and gynaecologist online --> https://www.icliniq.com/ask-a-doctor-online/obstetrician-and-gynaecologist
Hi doctor,
Thank you again. How would alcohol affect my sperm? Will it likely cause birth defect? I have heard that alcohol use definitely can cause lot of problems. I consume around 20 to 30 units per week and this was consistently done prior to getting my wife pregnant.
Hi,
Welcome back to icliniq.com.
I went through your query.
Yes, you have heard correctly about birth defects and also miscarriages can happen with alcohol intake.
Earlier, it was only thought that alcoholic mothers can cause problems to the baby but current research indicates that fathers also contribute to the same extent. In fact, even stopping alcohol two to three weeks prior to conception does not prevent the problem.
I suggest you to visit your obstetrician and get proper anomaly scans done and screen for Down's syndrome as well as metal alcohol syndrome.
For further doubts consult an obstetrician and gynaecologist online --> https://www.icliniq.com/ask-a-doctor-online/obstetrician-and-gynaecologist
Hi doctor,
What is the percentage of birth with these defects if men drink alcohol regularly?
Hi,
Welcome back to icliniq.com.
For further information consult an obstetrician and gynaecologist online --> https://www.icliniq.com/ask-a-doctor-online/obstetrician-and-gynaecologist
Hi doctor,
The old school thinking is that abnormal sperm caused by alcohol and drugs just cannot fertilize an egg and if it does then it will simply result in a miscarriage. It seems there is a lot more evidence recently that says this thinking is really outdated and in fact can result in births with increased risk of defects, etc. How do you feel about this? Why do medical specialists not agree on this? Why do some doctors stick with the old school thinking and not look at the more modern research?
Hi,
Welcome back to icliniq.com.
You are right. Old school idea is not totally wrong. Abnormal sperms indeed do not likely fertilize an egg and even if they do, there is a more chance of miscarriage.
It is just that earlier it was thought that miscarriage was the only end result whereas now data shows that birth defects is more common in such individuals.
Miscarriages are nature's way of eliminating beings which are not perfect for survival. But, now because of better medical care available these days, we can now prevent miscarriages. So, that is why the incidence of births defects has increased.
For further information consult an obstetrician and gynaecologist --> https://www.icliniq.com/ask-a-doctor-online/obstetrician-and-gynaecologist
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