Possible Reproductive Detriment in LSD Users
JAMA December 11, 1972 DOI: 10.1001/jama.1972.03210110013004 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 140 |
| Population | Women and their consorts who admitted to using LSD prior to or during pregnancy |
| Intervention | LSD |
| Topics | LSD |
| Keywords | Ingestion Pregnancy Abortion Obstetrics Embryo First trimester Human reproduction Fetus Physiology Gynecology |
| Citations | 52 |
| Key findings | LSD ingestion, along with animal and DNA studies, suggests it might be hazardous to human reproduction, though other factors preclude a definitive correlation. |
Abstract
One hundred forty women and their consorts, admitting to the use of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) prior to or during pregnancy were observed through 148 pregnancies. There were 83 live newborns; 8 had major congenital defects. There were 65 abortions; 53 therapeutic and 12 spontaneous. Four of 14 embryos from therapeutic abortions showed gross anomalies. Forty-three percent of first-trimester pregnancies ended in spontaneous abortions. Four of eight serial pregnancies resulted in defective embryos or infants. Eight of 12 women have been unable to conceive again over an 18-month period. The ingestion of other illicit drugs, the presence of infectious disease, and marginal maternal nutrition preclude a definitive correlation of increased reproductive risk with LSD ingestion. The presence of LSD ingestion, coupled with studies in animals and supported by DNA studies, suggests that LSD might be hazardous to human reproduction.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on LSD, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Increased Global Functional Connectivity Correlates with LSD-Induced Ego Dissolution. Human participants | 2016 | Observational cohort | |
| Increased spontaneous MEG signal diversity for psychoactive doses of ketamine, LSD and psilocybin Humans | 2017 | Observational study | |
| Classic psychedelic use is associated with reduced psychological distress and suicidality in the United States adult population. USA adult respondents from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2008-2012) | 2015 | Observational cohort | n = 190,000 |
| Psychedelics not linked to mental health problems or suicidal behavior: A population study Randomly selected United States adults | 2015 | Observational cohort | n = 135,095 |
| Whole-Brain Multimodal Neuroimaging Model Using Serotonin Receptor Maps Explains Non-linear Functional Effects of LSD. Healthy human participants | 2018 | Observational study with computational modeling |
Citations in the library
Cited by 7
- Hallucinogenic Drugs in Psychiatric Research and Treatment Perspectives and Prospects The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease March 1, 1995
- Genetic toxicology of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD-25) Mutation Research/Reviews in Genetic Toxicology 1977
- Multiple Systemic and Ocular Malformations Associated With Maternal LSD Usage Archives of Ophthalmology October 1, 1974
- Is psychedelic use associated with cancer?: Interrogating a half-century-old claim using contemporary population-level data Journal of Psychopharmacology August 16, 2022
- Psychedelic Drugs Rediscovered-In Silico Study of Potential Fetal Exposure to Analogues of Psychedelic Drugs During Pregnancy. Molecules January 8, 2026
and 2 more in the library