Smoking is injurious to your health. Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for your overall well-being. If you’re a smoker, you probably know that it can affect your fertility. In order to improve your chances of conceiving, it is important to quit smoking.
Here are 5 facts about smoking and infertility that you should know:
- Smoking can cause infertility
Those who smoke are more likely to have fertility problems than non-smokers. If you’ve been smoking for many years or smoke many cigarettes per day, you are at an increased risk for fertility problems. Smoking spreads more than 7000 chemicals throughout your entire body and organs. This can cause fertility problems, such as :
- Problems with ovulation
- Genetic problems
- Damage to your reproductive organs
- Damage to eggs or premature menopause
- Increased risk of cancer and miscarriage
When smokers take fertility treatments, they tend to take longer to get pregnant. They are also likely to give birth to babies with health problems.
- Secondhand smoke can affect your fertility
If your partner is a smoker and you’re trying to get pregnant, encourage them to stop smoking. Secondhand smoke may expose you to toxic chemicals that affect your fertility. Experts say that secondhand smoke is as damaging to your fertility as smoking itself. Exposure to secondhand smoke for even a few days can affect health and fertility. It is also a known cause of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
- Smoking also increased the chances of miscarriage
Miscarriage may be difficult to deal with. Those who smoke are more likely to suffer from miscarriage than non-smokers. Additionally, smoking increases health risks during pregnancy, such as preterm labor and ectopic pregnancy. Many women of childbearing age put their own health and that of their babies at risk.
- Smoking can cause fertility problems in men
Men who smoke are at an increased risk for male fertility problems:
- Low sperm count and sperm motility problems
- Hormonal issues
- Erectile dysfunction
If you’re unable to get pregnant and your partner is a smoker, encourage him to quit. This may help you conceive sooner.
- Quitting smoking can increase your chances of getting pregnant
Fertility in women often improves when they stop smoking. Studies show that female smokers can increase their chances of conceiving by quitting at least two months before they try to get pregnant.
Make an appointment with your doctor to find out the best way that you or your partner can quit smoking, to improve your chances. Our doctors at KIMS Cuddles can help you adopt healthy habits so that you can get pregnant faster.
*Information shared here is for general purpose. Please take doctors’ advice before taking any decision.
