We have all heard through the media that smoking is unhealthy, so it probably comes as no surprise to hear that smoking can also impact a woman’s fertility…
An incredible amount of research has been done linking smoking to an increased risk for many cancers, heart disease, emphysema, and many other health issues. The toxins contained in cigarettes take their toll on your entire body’s health, including your reproductive system.
Studies have shown that smoking can harm a baby prenatally, therefore it is a good idea to quit smoking before you even think about pregnancy. Be aware that if you decide not to quit smoking before you start trying to conceive, you may have trouble getting and staying pregnant.
Smoking and Infertility
A great deal of the research on smoking has focused on the effect that a specific number of cigarettes has on a woman’s fertility. Study results have found that a woman who smokes 10 or more cigarettes each day is likely to experience infertility connected to her smoking habit. This does not necessarily mean that smoking fewer cigarettes per day will not decrease fertility, but it is definitely clear that smoking 10 or more a day escalates your risk of developing fertility issues.
In the studies, smoking was found to be specifically connected to the following fertility issues:
- Damage to eggs as they develop in the ovaries.
- Problems with fallopian tubes, including blockages (preventing the sperm and egg meeting), along with an increased risk of ectopic pregnancy.
- Increased risk of miscarriage, possibly due to damaged eggs, damage to the developing fetus, or changes to the uterine lining causing the embryo not to implant.
- Cervical changes, including an increased risk of developing cervical cancer.
Smoking May Lead to Earlier Menopause
Other studies have been done showing that smoking can lead to lowered fertility in the future. While men produce new sperm during the course of their lives, women are born with all the eggs they will ever have. Once those eggs are damaged, there is no reversing the situation.
In fact, research shows that smoking may decrease the total number of eggs a woman has in her ovaries, thus triggering the ovaries to age prematurely. Toxins in cigarettes may also lead to DNA damage to the ovarian follicles, where the eggs normally develop to maturity. This same research shows that the premature aging of the ovaries and the decrease in eggs may even lead to earlier menopause.
Smoking Leads to Longer Time to Conception
Additional research has found that the more cigarettes a woman smokes every day, the time it will take for the woman to conceive increases. According to one study, which looked at approximately 4,000 women, after three and a half months of trying to get pregnant, approximately 60% of non-smokers had achieved pregnancy. For women who smoked one to ten cigarettes a day, about 50% had achieved pregnancy. For those women who smoked more than ten cigarettes per day, only 45% had achieved pregnancy after three and a half months.
The Bottom Line
While smoking can lead to some long-term fertility damage, studies have also shown that fertility rates can improve; positive results have been seen one year after kicking the habit. If you are a smoker, there is no need to feel like the situation is hopeless or that there is no turning back after years of cigarette smoking. Even if quitting smoking does not seem to be a current possibility, reducing the number of cigarettes smoked on a daily basis will have some positive impact over time.
Some women may be tempted to keep smoking up until the time they get pregnant. In the long run, it will be best for you and your future baby if you quit before you achieve pregnancy. It will increase your chances of conceiving, be better for your body, healthier for your baby, and lower the risk of miscarrying the pregnancy before you’ve even had a chance to give up smoking.
Is your partner a smoker? If so, there are a variety of reasons why it would be a good idea to quit together. It is important to know that it is entirely possible that his secondhand smoke may also decrease your fertility and threaten your pregnancy. Other studies have found that smoking also lowers male fertility. In addition, there are many different health problems that can arise in babies and children who are exposed to secondhand smoke. Dropping the habit together will increase your chances of successfully quitting.
The good news is that by tackling the issue of smoking starting now, you can improve your chances of conception. If you and your partner are having trouble getting pregnant, find a reproductive specialist sooner than later. If you live in the greater southeast area of Texas, the Center of Reproductive Medicine can help you achieve your goal of building a healthy family.