According to the Koran, men in polygamous marriages must treat each household fairly and equally. “It seems likely that the stress of doing that for several spouses and possibly several families of children is considerable,” Daoulah said.

In the study, the more wives a man had, the greater his risk of heart disease, according to the findings presented today (April 29) at the Asian Pacific Society of Cardiology Congress 2015. [Life’s Extremes: Monogamy vs. Polygamy]

However, the study does not prove a cause-and-effect relationship between polygamy and heart woes. It’s possible that other, hidden factors, such as the level of intimacy in a marriage, eating habits or genetic factors, could play a role in polygamy and heart disease risk, Daoulah said.