Video sparks concern that paternal marijuana use could increase miscarriage risk

Other posts shared misleading claims about HIV transmission and discussed rising infant mortality rates.

This past week, a video shared research suggesting that marijuana use by sperm-producing partners before conception could increase the risk of early miscarriage. Plus, a popular post caused confusion about HIV transmission, and others discussed a new study linking rising infant mortality rates to abortion bans.

In light of these discussions, communicators may share information about how marijuana impacts pregnancy outcomes, explain how HIV is transmitted and how to protect against it, and share resources for people seeking prenatal care or abortions.

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What’s trending nationally in reproductive health conversation:

On February 16, an X user shared a post stating that marijuana use “by the male [before conception] doubles the chance of early miscarriage.” The post included a video that was originally posted on TikTok of a person citing research supporting the post’s claim. The X post received approximately 4.7 million views, 10,000 likes, 2,900 reposts, and 120 comments as of February 19. Some comments expressed concern about the post’s claim and correctly noted that marijuana has also been shown to decrease sperm production. Others alleged that marijuana is “just a plant” and does not impact reproductive health or pregnancy outcomes, despite research showing risk to fetal health.

On February 10, an X user responded to a post asking why ads mentioning HIV only feature gay couples by stating— without adequate context for the statistic—“I used to think that if a woman had unprotected sex with an HIV positive man, her chance of getting HIV was nearly 100%. Do you know how much it really is? Less than 0.1% — yes, fewer than 1 in 1000 such encounters result in the woman getting HIV.” The post received approximately 16 million views, 102,000 likes, 9,700 reposts, and 1,200 comments as of February 19. Some comments correctly pointed out that this statistic only refers to people who have unprotected, receptive vaginal intercourse and that the risk of contracting HIV through anal sex is higher due to the increased risk of abrasions. Others falsely claimed that HIV can be spread through fecal matter.

A new JAMA study found that infant mortality rates rose by nearly 6 percent in states that implemented total or six-week abortion bans after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. The research found that this rise in infant deaths was partially due to fetal anomalies, which suggests that more people may be carrying fetuses with lethal anomalies to term due to abortion bans. However, since infant deaths due to other causes also increased, the study’s authors wrote that “legal exceptions based solely on fetal anomalies will not fully offset the negative effects of abortion bans on infant health.” Several articles discussed the study’s findings, and those articles were shared across social media platforms, with some posts receiving hundreds of thousands of views. Some comments expressed concern about abortion restrictions, while others equated abortion with murder and stated, “Technically, less infant deaths overall.” Some also stated that fetuses with lethal anomalies should be carried to term and falsely claimed that infant mortality rates rose due to COVID-19 vaccines.

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Recommendations for public health professionals

Each week, the Infodemiology.com team will provide messaging recommendations in response to some of the trending narratives outlined above. These helpful tips can be used when creating content, updating web and FAQ pages, and developing strategy for messaging about reproductive health. 

Conversations about marijuana may prompt questions about how marijuana could impact pregnancy outcomes. Messaging may explain that marijuana use by the sperm-producing partner one or more times per week before conception is associated with a higher risk of miscarriage. Additionally, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists discourages pregnant people and people who are trying to get pregnant from using marijuana, as it may disrupt fetal brain development. People who are prescribed marijuana for medicinal purposes should talk to their health care provider about alternative treatments when they are trying to conceive.

In response to confusion about HIV transmission, messaging may explain that anyone of any gender or sexual orientation can contract HIV if an infected person’s bodily fluids—including blood, vaginal fluids, and semen—enter their body through the mouth, genitals, anus, or broken skin. HIV is not transmitted through fecal matter or saliva. The risk of sexual HIV transmission can vary depending on the sex act and other factors. For example, unprotected, receptive anal sex carries a higher risk of HIV infection than unprotected, receptive vaginal sex. However, the risk of HIV infection during unprotected, receptive vaginal intercourse may increase if the receptive partner has another sexually transmitted infection or a vaginal health condition, like bacterial vaginosis. Emphasizing that using condoms reduces the risk of contracting and spreading HIV and other STIs is recommended. Communicators also may want to recirculate information about PrEP, a daily medication that reduces the risk of contracting HIV through sex or injecting drugs by about 99 percent when taken as prescribed.

Conversations about infant mortality rates provide an opportunity to explain how doctors diagnose fetal anomalies. Communicators may also want to share local clinics that provide free or low-cost prenatal care. Explaining how people can access abortion in your state, as well as financial resources to help cover the cost, is recommended.