CBD While Trying to Conceive: Female & Male Fertility Effects

Last updated on August 9th, 2025 at 10:39 am

If you use CBD for anxiety or inflammation but are now trying to conceive, you’ll get into murky waters trying to figure out whether it’s safe. Some blogs claim it boosts ovulation and sperm quality, while others advise against its use. If you want to make an informed decision, this post is for you. It explores the complete up-to-date research on how CBD may affect male and female fertility, including its impact on hormones, ovulation, sperm count, and early pregnancy. 

Disclaimer: This post is for informational purposes only. None of the information here should be taken as medical advice. Even if a remedy is classified as safe in Herbal Doula blog posts based on the existing evidence, that doesn’t mean it’s safe for you. The classifications in the database are just a general reference point. Follow your body, keep track of your response, and consult an herbalist, holistic practitioner, traditional midwife, or anyone else you feel may help you if you need expert advice. 

CBD and Female Fertility 

Most women are hesitant to use CBD while trying to conceive because of the conflicting safety data. There’s no clear research or clinical guideline on CBD use in women while trying to conceive (TTC), and most doctors tend to recommend against it due to a lack of human data. 

Yet, a lot of women describe CBD as incredibly helpful for their anxiety, sleep, or inflammation-related issues. 

If you’re wondering about CBD during pregnancy and breastfeeding, this free monograph breaks down the complete research.

Since human data is not available, we can draw upon CBD experiments in animals and its overall safety and tolerability in humans. Let’s take a look…

Does CBD Help with Ovulation and Early Pregnancy Loss?

Some blogs claim that CBD helps with ovulation by blocking FAAH and boosting anandamide levels. Yet, research suggests that only high CBD doses might increase anandamide, and there’s no data on how CBD affects ovulation  (Elmes et al., 2015; Boileau et al., 2017; Kozakiewicz et al., 2021). 

Low FAAH has been linked with implantation failure and pregnancy loss in some studies. Abnormal anandamide production and cannabinoid receptor activity in the uterus or embryo may cause early pregnancy loss and infertility in women (Maccarrone et al., 2002; Dennedy et al., 2004). 

In some studies, exposure to CBD had protective effects on the ovaries. CBD reduced the symptoms of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) in mice. This syndrome occurs in women taking injectable hormone medications to stimulate egg development, usually before IVF cycles. It causes the ovaries to swell and become painful (Tahermanesh et al. 2022).

A cellular study found that CBD, unlike THC, may interfere with the normal differentiation of endometrial cells in early pregnancy by blocking estrogen signaling and reducing aromatase activity. These effects could potentially contribute to fertility issues (Almada et al., 2021).

Summary

Although CBD may have some positive effects on endocannabinoid signalling in early pregnancy, it’s uncertain whether it can help with ovulation health and pregnancy success. 

Male Fertility and CBD

While blogs claim that CBD can increase fertility in men by increasing sperm quality or making sperm more efficient at infusing into the egg, research suggests a reason to be cautious. The data is conflicting, with some studies showing that CBD doesn’t negatively affect male fertility and others showing risks (Li et al., 2021). 

Does CBD affect sperm count? 

In one study on mice using medium-strength doses, CBD reduced sperm mobility and sperm count and increased abnormal sperm markers. The authors concluded that  CBD might dysregulate the endocannabinoid system and reduce sperm quality (Carvalho et al., 2022).

Another study in male mice revealed that CBD reduced sperm chromatin, which can reduce the chance of conception. Chromatin helps pack and protect the DNA within the sperm as it journeys to and fuses with the egg. Sperm with reduced chromatin are more vulnerable and less likely to successfully fertilize an egg cell. In this study, though, CBD didn’t affect other sperm parameters like count, motility, and morphology (Govahi et al., 2024). 

CBD also disrupts sperm signalling in cell studies, but we don’t know if and how this translates to its effects in humans (Wehrli et al., 2025). 

Other studies suggest that CBD is unlikely to cause reproductive damage. In one recent animal study, CBD had no male reproductive toxicity even at mega doses. It didn’t alter testosterone levels or sperm health (Henderson et al., 2023). 

Another newer study found no effect of CBD on sperm count and sperm morphology in rats administered hemp extract (Marx et al., 2018). 

These studies conflict with older research in which CBD decreased testis weight, caused preimplantation loss, and triggered developmental delays in male rats whose mothers were exposed to CBD (Dalterio et al., 1984; Rosenkrantz et al., 1981). These studies are cited by regulatory agencies when discussing CBD risks, but they have major flaws.  

The authors of new CBD research think that older studies reporting these negative effects did not follow standard guidelines and had poor study design (Henderson et al., 2023). 

However, a couple of newer studies still show some reason for concern. Mice receiving medium-strength CBD for 34 days had more sperm abnormalities, lower fertility, and smaller litters (Carvalho et al., 2018; Carvalho et al., 2018). 

Summary

The data is conflicting about whether CBD affects sperm health and sperm count. If you’re worried about your sperm count, stay on the safe side and avoid CBD use. Otherwise, be cautious about using CBD while trying to conceive. 

Does CBD Boost or Disrupt Fertility? 

More studies shed light on how CBD might affect fertility, but there’s no straight answer. 

In Epidiolex studies, oral CBD didn’t cause adverse effects on fertility and reproductive performance in rats, even at very high doses (250 mg/kg-bw/day, which is 60 times that in humans at the maximum recommended human dose). CBD was given before and during mating and continued in females during early pregnancy. A full battery of assessments was conducted, including male and female fertility, reproductive performance, and parameters of implantation and fetuses (Li et al., 2021). 

One study gave different doses of a hemp-derived CBD isolate to rats to test the effects on fertility, pregnancy, and birth. They concluded that the highest dose that doesn’t have negative effects in female rats is 100 mg/kg-bw/d (females). With mega doses (300 mg/kg-bw/day), CBD increased mortality, pregnancy complications, low birth weight, and low food consumption. (Henderson et al., 2023). 

CBD had no effects on male or female reproductive performance, even at the highest dose in the same study. Also, the mean pregnancy lengths were similar between the control and CBD-treated groups  (Henderson et al., 2023). 

Summary

All in all, animal studies suggest that CBD does not affect male or female fertility or pregnancy outcomes at moderate to high doses. Mega doses seem to harm fertility in female lab animals. We don’t know how this translates to humans, but avoiding moderate to high CBD doses while trying to conceive would be the safest choice. 

Can CBD Cause Chromosomal Damage?

Avoiding compounds that may trigger chromosomal damage is important when you’re trying to conceive, as chromosomal damage may lead to certain birth defects. Chromosomal abnormalities are genetic conditions that occur due to a problem with one of the 23 pairs of chromosomes. 

It’s unclear whether CBD can cause chromosomal damage. 

Several reports and cell-based studies suggest that CBD may induce chromosome damage, but others conclude that CBD is not toxic to human cells. Results from Epidiolex studies also suggest that CBD doesn’t cause damage to cells or their DNA (Li et al., 2021)

CBD also didn’t cause chromosomal damage in human immune cells from healthy volunteers in another older study (Matsuyama et al., 1981). 

Also, these cellular studies used very high doses that are almost impossible to achieve with typical supplemental CBD dosing in adults. 

Can CBD Help with Anxiety while TTC?

CBD may help women better cope with fertility struggles by reducing anxiety. Anxiety and stress can worsen hormonal imbalances, and both men and women report success with using CBD to feel calmer. 

CBD is a promising natural remedy for anxiety, and several research studies suggest that it may actually help. In clinical studies, the daily anti-anxiety dosage varied from 6 mg to 400 mg (Skelley et al., 2020). If you’re trying to conceive, stick to the lowest CBD dosage that works for you. 

Finding additional preconception-safe herbal remedies to add to your regimen and reduce your CBD dosage may also help. This is especially important if you want to stop using CBD once you’re pregnant but struggle with constant anxiety or stress.  

CBD Dosage & Safety Considerations 

CBD products are relatively new on the market, and there is not a lot of data about their safety and reproductive effects in general. Assessing long-term safety takes time, and we have yet to see the data for CBD. 

Also, the research data on CBD alone is almost non-existent in the preconception, conception, and early pregnancy period. There’s a lot more data about mixed CBD-THC products and cannabis and marijuana in general, but CBD safety needs to be assessed separately. 

Overall, though, we do know that CBD is considered to be generally safe at the typical daily doses (up to 200 mg daily) for up to 13 weeks, based on a clinical trial in people with type 2 diabetes (Jadoon et al., 2016). Typical supplemental doses are even lower, with most people taking 50-100 mg for milder health concerns. 

With this in mind, it’s smart to be cautious about your CBD use while trying to conceive and consult a knowledgeable holistic practitioner about your health and fertility struggles. 

There may be dietary and lifestyle changes you can make, and other herbs or supplements you may be able to take, that can also help — and they might be safer and work better for you than CBD. 

CBD Alternatives for Fertility & Pregnancy Support 

Here are some pregnancy-safe herbs and supplements that also help with stress and/or inflammation:

• Shatavari (considered the Queen of herbs, great for fertility support)
• Maca (boosts libido and supports hormonal balance and fertility) 
• Turmeric (caution in early pregnancy and in people undergoing IVF)
• Ashwagandha (an adaptogen that provides hormonal support)
• Chamomile (calming and soothing)
• Ginger (an anti-inflammatory that calls the body to action)

CBD Products & Quality Concerns

There are a lot of CB products on the market, and their quality and content can vary. It’s critical to avoid low-quality CBD that may be high in toxic contaminants, especially while TTC. 

Read this free CBD guide to understand the differences between different CBD products on the market and how to choose a high-quality, high-purity CBD oil. 

Takeaway

A lot of people find anxiety relief with CBD, but its effects on fertility and its safety while trying to conceive are unclear. While some animal studies show that moderate CBD doses may be safe, others raise questions about its effects on sperm quality, early pregnancy, and ovulation. 

Research in humans is extremely limited, and product quality varies widely. CBD hasn’t been around for long, so we have yet to see long-term safety data on it. 

If you’re trying to conceive, it’s best to tread cautiously: avoid high doses, choose only high-quality CBD, and work with a holistic practitioner to address your health concerns. You may find safer, well-studied remedies that you can use instead of or alongside CBD to support your fertility and emotional well-being.