More and more people are opting to donate their eggs. Donated eggs often go to people who deeply want to have a child but aren’t able to. In exchange for helping someone complete their family, an egg donor is rewarded financially. If you’re looking into donating eggs as a cannabis consumer, you may wonder if weed could prevent you from doing so. Can you donate eggs if you smoke weed? Here’s what we know.
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Can You Donate Eggs If You Smoke Weed?
While you can donate sperm if you smoke weed, egg banks may turn you away.
Smoking is prohibited if you’re looking into egg donation.
Dr. Hrishikesh Pai, MD, FRCOG (UK-HON), MSc (USA), FCPS, FICOG, and the director of, Bloom Group in India tells us, “While there may not be direct evidence to suggest that smoking weed can harm the eggs, it is known to have a negative impact on fertility. Since egg donation requires a healthy and optimum number of eggs for successful fertilization, it is not recommended for someone who smokes weed regularly.”
Various egg banks also echoed these sentiments.
ConcieveAbilities also admits that there are not many studies on the clinical impacts of marijuana on fertility. However, they mention that marijuana may impact ovulation and other reproductive functions.
Pai also tells us, “Smoking weed can lead to hormonal imbalances in the body. This can interfere with the menstrual cycle and ovulation, making it difficult for a woman to conceive. Additionally, smoking weed can also damage the reproductive organs and affect egg quality.”
A 2016 National Library of Medicine article says that the endocannabinoid and female reproductive systems are linked. It also says that tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the cannabinoid in weed that makes you high, may cause changes that disrupt the reproductive system.
As you can see, even though more research is needed on weed and fertility, many experts and research suggest that weed may affect your fertility negatively.
However, if you’re a cannabis enthusiast and still want to donate your eggs, ConcieveAbilities says that you may be able to if you quit smoking. They say that your fertility starts to improve when you quit smoking.
They reassure medical cannabis users that they discuss their ‘unique circumstance’ with the doctor and the egg donation center.
Can You Donate If You Smoke Cigarettes?
No, you can’t.
Egg donation centers will do a screening before they approve you. Therefore, if nicotine is present in your test, the egg donation center is likely to reject you.
As ConcieveAbilities outlines, the compounds found in tobacco products may damage the genetic material in eggs and even impact how quickly the eggs die.
Manchester Donors also say that using cigarettes may affect your:
- Ability to conceive
- Egg quality
- Ovarian reserve
- Menopause start date
As a matter of fact, a 1996 study concludes, “Cigarette smoking is associated with a prolonged and dose-dependent adverse effect on ovarian function. Smoking appears to have a more transient toxic effect on fertility, because current smokers, but not past smokers, had a markedly reduced pregnancy rate after treatment cycles compared with nonsmokers.”
As you can see, the study highlights that quitting smoking has an impact on your fertility.
Therefore, if you’re a smoker who wants to donate your eggs, all hope is not lost.
Manchester Donors suggest quitting for at least three months. That means avoiding any products with nicotine, including vapes. You can then visit your egg donation center to be evaluated to see if you’d be a good fit.
What May Disqualify Me From Donating Eggs?
We already know that smoking weed or using products with nicotine may disqualify you from donating your eggs.
However, those are not the only factors that may disqualify you from donating your eggs.
According to Pai, here are some common reasons for being disqualified as an egg donor:
- Age- Due to the fear of egg quality, people over 35 may be unsuitable for egg donation.
- Medical Conditions- Pai says medical conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and mental health disorders can disqualify someone from being an egg donor. These conditions may pose risks to both the donor and the recipient.
- Substance Abuse- Alcohol and other substances may disqualify you from being an egg donor since they may affect your fertility.
- Genetic Disorders- The egg donation center will screen you for hereditary diseases if you want to donate your eggs.
- Unwillingness to Follow Protocols- Since egg donation is a serious medical procedure, Pai says it is crucial for the donor to follow all the protocols and instructions provided by their healthcare provider. Any reluctance or non-compliance can disqualify them from the process.
In addition, the type of birth control you’ve used may impact your suitability.
Egg Donor America says, “Another lesser-known factor that can prevent a woman from donating her eggs is if she is using contraceptive implants or Depo-Provera injections. However, if she stops taking these types of birth control, she may be able to become an egg donor in the future.”
What Qualifies Me as a Good Egg Donor?
We’ve covered the various ways that you may disqualify you as an egg donor, but what makes you an ideal candidate?
Besides not being a smoker, Pai says that the following factors make you an ideal candidate for egg donation:
- Being Between 21-35– Pai explains that people between these ages are more likely to produce healthy eggs.
- Healthy– You’re an ideal candidate if you have no significant medical conditions and are in good health.
- Regular Menstrual Cycle-Pai explains that a regular menstrual cycle indicates healthy ovulation and a good number of eggs being produced each month, making someone an ideal candidate for egg donation.
- Willingness to Undergo Medical Procedures- Egg donation involves several medical procedures like hormone injections and egg retrieval, so a donor needs to be comfortable with these procedures, according to Pai.
In addition, Egg Donor America says that having a BMI between 19-29 makes you a good candidate for egg donation.
Takeaway
Can you donate eggs if you smoke weed? No. However, if you abstain from weed for a period of time, you may qualify again as an egg donor. We recommend speaking with an egg donation center and a doctor if you’re a cannabis enthusiast who wants to donate eggs. These professionals can better guide your personal journey. Many other factors can either qualify or disqualify you for egg donation. Therefore, speaking with an egg donation center for more information is best.
