New research: Men’s marijuana use increases miscarriage risks in women

Researchers at Boston University found that when men smoke marijuana once a week or more, their partners are twice as likely to have a miscarriage.

The researchers asked over 1,400 couples about their marijuana usage over the past two months and then tracked their pregnancies and miscarriages, reports ABC News.

Only 8% of the men in the study smoked once a week or more, while 18% of the couples experienced a miscarriage. Smoking less than once per week did not appear to have an effect on the miscarriage rates.

“Forty percent of couples’ infertility is due to male factors so it bears repeating we need to focus on the men just as much as the women,” said Dr. Jennifer Ashton, the ABC News chief medical correspondent and a board-certified OBGYN, Monday on “Good Morning America.” “I think that’s part of the reason why this study is getting so much attention, because we’re used to putting all the focus, all the blame, all the stress on the women and the world of male fertility is really exploding.”

However, Ashton points out two caveats in the study. The first is that its findings are based on correlation, not causation, so more research is needed. Secondly, there is not yet and peer-reviewed data on the study’s findings.

The research is being presented Monday at American Society for Reproductive Medicine Congress & Expo in Philadelphia, according to ABC News.

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