Cocaine is an alkaloid extracted from a coca plant. It is usually consumed mixed with diverse adulterated substances like talc, flour, amphetamines, detergents, formol and other products.
The purity of the substance reaches between 5-50% and depends on the ingredients used. Depending on the making process, the product can appear in different forms: coca paste, cocaine hydrochloride, freebase, and crack. The most common consumption ways are nasal insufflation (sniffing) and intravenous injections.
Cocaine is the second most consumed illegal drug among the reproductive-age population in Spain based on surveys conducted in 2007 and 2022 by the Ministry of Health of Spain.
A moderate dose of cocaine clears away the feeling of fatigue and sleepiness, causes exaltation, increases blood pressure and libido, and leads to difficulties with erections in men. Consuming higher doses causes anxiety, intense aggression, hallucinations, shakiness and convulsions.
Concerning fertility, women who consume cocaine usually have more genital infections which lead to obstruction of Fallopian tubes. We know from experiments with animals that its consumption can affect the function of the ovaries: the follicles are misshapen, and they suffer from early atresia. It is also demonstrated that higher doses of gonadotropins are necessary for IVF cycles, and the levels of estrogen and progesterone in the blood are always lower than optimum.
Prolonged consumption (longer than five years) can cause diminished sperm concentrations, reduced spermatozoid mobility and a greater number of abnormal forms.
It is observed that the abortion rate is higher among consumers compared to non-consumers, 40% and 15% respectively. This may be related to a drop in hormones, especially progesterone, and a decreased blood flow into the uterus due to shrunk blood vessels leading to the uterus.
Cocaine consumption increases the risk of premature birth and abruption of the placenta, because of vasoconstriction and increased blood pressure.
The fetus is also affected by cocaine. Babies of mothers consuming cocaine suffer from growth alterations, intestine, renal and central nervous system alterations, cardiovascular malformations, and even sudden death.
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COCAINE AND REPRODUCTION
