How Does Smoking Affect Male and Female Fertility?

In today’s world, smoking is one of the primary problems that prevent people from preventing morbidity and mortality. This has several well-known side effects, including infertility. If you and your partner smoke, then it is likely that one of them is infertile if you have been trying to conceive naturally for a long time. However, a wide range of options are available for males and females seeking infertility treatment.

For decades, researchers have studied the connection between smoking and infertility, but population-level studies have not been conducted. A majority of studies examine how smoking affects male and female fertility. According to studies, women and men should also refrain from smoking to enhance the outcome of their reproductive systems.

The answer is yes if you are wondering whether smoking can hurt male and female fertility. Not only does it adversely affect fertility, but it also negatively affects pregnancy if you succeed in conceiving. Couples who smoke have a very high chance of taking longer to get pregnant than those who do not smoke. Those who have sex every two or three days without protection and do not smoke will become pregnant within a year. Compared to non-smokers, smokers’ chances are halved every month. By giving up smoking, you will also increase your chances of getting pregnant faster because it improves the womb lining in women.

Men’s Fertility and Smoking:

Among men, smoking has a negative impact on sperm quality, which can be easily observed, because they have to experience the problem of decreased sperm quality. The time has come for men to realize that smoking increases infertility risks. For both men and women, infertility treatment is the only option for conceiving. Whenever a man smokes more than two cigarettes a day, his sperm cannot fertilize an egg. Smoking regularly also increases the risk of infertility in men by 30 percent. The health risks associated with smoking are not just limited to infertility; they include a wide range of health problems.

Risks for Men:

For men who smoke regularly, the following risks can arise:

• Erections can be difficult for men to achieve and maintain.
• As a consequence, it damages the genetic material or DNA in sperm, which is transferred to the child later on.
• Sperm production is ongoing all the time. The maturation process of sperm takes between two and three months. Therefore, if you plan to have a child, you should stop smoking first.
• Smoking over 20 cigarettes during conception increases the likelihood of a child developing childhood leukemia.

Women’s Fertility and Smoking:

It is more dangerous for female fertility to smoke because it irrevocably harms the female egg supply. Smoking contains chemicals that contribute to the loss of female eggs and premature aging of the ovaries. Women who smoke regularly may have lower chances of conception than those who do not. It is not only harmful to egg quality, but it can also result in permanent infertility, which requires IVF treatment or surrogacy. When a woman is trying to get pregnant but is a regular smoker, her chances of conception remain only 54%.

Risks for Women:

The following are some of the risks women need to be aware of:

• It is important for women to understand that their hormone production remains unchanged.
• Moreover, the uterus environment remains unchanged in women.
• If a woman smokes regularly, she has a very high chance of miscarrying.
• It is possible to experience an unhealthy pregnancy that results in early delivery.
• Smoking puts women at risk of giving birth to a child who has growth concerns.

If Your Partner Smokes, Does It Impact Your Pregnancy Chances?

Yes. Passive smoking is known as second-hand smoke which negatively affects the probability of conception. While passive smoking doesn’t mean you won’t get pregnant, it usually causes issues when attempting to conceive. Even if you don’t smoke, inhaling smoke from your partner’s cigarettes will affect your ability to get pregnant.

The Impact on a Newborn Baby:

Both men and women are affected by smoking, but this doesn’t necessarily mean that couples are unable to become pregnant. In some cases, even after smoking regularly, the female can conceive, but then faces other issues such as premature birth or problems with the baby’s development. Men who had mothers who smoked during pregnancy or who smoked themselves have low sperm counts, according to research.

Additionally, smoking during pregnancy can affect a baby’s development. Most children are born with low weights, and they also commonly suffer from obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes. Parents who smoke put their children at risk of SIDS, also known as sudden infant death syndrome, and asthma symptoms. If you are planning to conceive and are a regular smoker, you should quit smoking.

The Bottom Line:

It is not easy to stop smoking; however, it is not impossible either. It is not only detrimental to the health of couples trying to conceive but particularly detrimental to the health of an unborn child. It will undoubtedly take more effort and discipline than you were expecting, but you will experience a whole new level of happiness once you become a parent.

If you are having trouble conceiving, you can also contact Hegde Fertility, which offers infertility services for men and women. If you want to get pregnant, you should first try quitting smoking. If not, we are there to assist you anyway with the help of our best fertility specialists.