Paternal Contribution to Birth Defects Men play an active part in the health of their offspring. They also diminish the sperm's motility or ability to swim. Drugs can interfere with reproduction by changing the process by which sperm are selected for fertilizing the egg.
Damaged sperm can cause miscarriages.
The drugs in a man's system may lead to lower birth weight, birth defects or serious illnesses for the child after birth. Smoking a half a pack of cigarettes a day can reduce the sperm count by as much as twenty percent . A father's smoking before conception may result in lower birth weight and an increased risk of life threatening diseases such as leukemia, lymphoma and brain cancer. The use of cocaine by men may also be linked to some mental problems in their offspring. Sperm can also be adversely effected by environmental and hazardous materials often encountered in the workplace and home.