© Unsplash/Z. Odishu The risk of infertility in women who smoke is 40 percent higher than in non-smokers. WHO: Tobacco use can lead to infertility Healthcare
Smoking appears to reduce your chances of getting pregnant: Women who smoke have a 40 percent higher risk of infertility than non-smokers. The World Health Organization (WHO) warns about this in a new publication. “We encourage everyone who is planning a pregnancy to quit smoking and improve their health, including reproductive health,” said Kerstin Schotte, an official at the World Health Organization (WHO) Tobacco Control Initiative.
WHO defines infertility as the inability to achieve pregnancy after 12 months of regular sexual intercourse without the use of contraception. One in six people on the planet is affected by this problem.
In its new report, WHO summarizes decades of evidence on the link between tobacco use and infertility in women, as well as the negative impact of tobacco on sperm quality and sexual function in men. The WHO also notes that passive smoking can also affect fertility, that is, non-smokers may also be at risk. this.
Smoking may also reduce the chances of success in fertility treatments. Previously, results from 21 studies had already linked cigarette smoking to fewer live births, including after assisted reproductive technologies such as in vitro fertilization (IVF). Evidence also suggests that smoking may roughly halve the likelihood of a successful outcome.
Not Just a Women’s Problem
It’s not just about women. A review of 44 studies involving more than 60,000 men found that smoking is associated with reproductive problems, including sperm abnormalities and sexual dysfunction.
The data showed that men who smoked were more likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction, problems with ejaculation and sperm quality, including lack of sperm, poor sperm motility and abnormal form.
Hookah, e-cigarettes and secondhand smoke
Although data on the dangers of e-cigarettes (also known as vapes), hookahs, smokeless tobacco and other new products is still emerging, the WHO warns that they may also present risk to reproductive health. This issue requires further research.
Risk Reduction
The publication recommends that health care providers discuss the reproductive risks of tobacco use with individuals and couples planning to pregnancy.
Experts also call for helping smokers kick the habit using proven methods.