Smoking and Fertility
Effects of Smoking on Fertility

Studies have shown that smoking negatively affects your fertility. If you are trying to conceive, consider giving up cigarettes to increase your chances of getting pregnant.

If you smoke, you are up to 50% less likely to conceive than a woman who does not smoke.

While you may be aware of the potentially life-threatening illnesses smoking can cause, you may not be aware of the negative effects regarding smoking and fertility.

These side effects from smoking before and during a pregnancy correlate with the amount a person smokes: The more cigarettes a person smokes, the more likely they are to experience infertility and problems during pregnancy.

Studies have linked fertility issues from smoking to both women and men, as well as serious effects involving pregnancies. The adverse relationship between smoking and fertility exists for many reasons.

Here are some of the potential problems surrounding smoking and fertility:

• Smoking reduces the amount of estrogen your body releases and produces. This hormonal imbalance can seriously upset the reproductive process and can cause fertility issues.
• The amount of blood flow to your reproductive areas may be limited.
• Eggs inside of your ovaries can become damaged and essentially killed from smoking.
• Cigarettes have been linked to diseases that affect fallopian tubes. Without properly functioning fallopian tubes, it's almost impossible to get pregnant.
• Your germ cell count, which is vital to reproduction, can be reduced by more than 50 percent.

While there have been fewer studies on infertility in men in comparison to women, smoking can play a negative role in men’s fertility health.

These are some of the issues that men face regarding smoking and fertility:

• Smoking causes an imbalance of protein levels, which can negatively affect sperm.
• Men who smoke are more likely to have issues with their sperm binding to eggs during the fertilization process.
• Germ cell counts can be reduced from smoking; however, it typically isn’t reduced as much as a woman’s germ cell count.
• Smoking affects the DNA in sperm cells, which inhibits its chance of fertilizing an egg. Even after fertilization, the chances of a miscarriage are increased by this.

If you and your spouse are having problems becoming pregnant, consider giving up smoking. Studies have shown that it can take up to two or three months of being smoke-free to improve your fertility.

Need Help? Try these natural herbal remedies to quit smoking:

• Try the Conception Series #3: Stop Smoking Self-hypnosis CD to increase your chances of conceiving

After becoming pregnant, it is highly recommended you stop smoking as this can have serious side effects, including increasing the likelihood of a miscarriage during your pregnancy. For more information regarding smoking and fertility, consult your physician or an alternative health practitioner.

Related pages

Fertility Cleanse | Acupuncture and Fertility | Alcohol and Fertility | Weight and Fertility | Avoid Endocrine Disruptors | Fertility Herbs | How Long to Get Pregnant | Irregular Periods | Menstrual Cycle Length | Preconception Care |