Effect of LSD on Human Pregnancy
JAMA June 1, 1970 DOI: 10.1001/jama.1970.03170220039005 via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractIn 121 pregnancies where mothers received low, infrequent medical doses of LSD, the rates of spontaneous abortion, premature birth, and birth defects were within normal ranges. For a smaller group of 27 pregnancies where LSD was taken both medically and nonmedically, the rate of spontaneous abortion was above average. Spontaneous abortions occurred significantly more often when the mother took LSD compared to when only the father did, but the data do not establish a clear causal link.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 121 |
| Population | Human pregnancies following medically administered LSD |
| Dose | relatively infrequent, low doses |
| Topics | LSD |
| Keywords | Obstetrics Pregnancy Incidence geometry Induced abortions |
| Citations | 40 |
| Key finding | Spontaneous abortion, premature birth, and birth defect rates were normal after low medical LSD doses, but a higher abortion rate was seen with mixed medical and nonmedical use, and maternal exposure was associated with more abortions than paternal exposure alone. |
Abstract
The frequencies of spontaneous abortions, premature births, and birth defects in 121 human pregnancies following relatively infrequent, low doses of medically administered lysergic acid diethylamide are within the normal ranges. The incidence of spontaneous abortions was above average for a small sample of 27 pregnancies where LSD was ingested under both medical and nonmedical conditions. Spontaneous abortions occurred significantly more frequently when the mother received LSD as opposed to the father only; however, the data do not permit the establishment of a clear causal relationship.