| There are many known causes of infertility. Some are more absolute than others. For example, if a woman has blocked fallopian tubes, or a man has a very low sperm count or motility, then we know the cause of the couples infertility problem (or at least one of the causes). However, there are other fertility issues that are difficult to characterize as "the problem" - but we know that often they are at least factors contributing to the infertility. This page is not meant to be a complete discussion of this issue. However, here are some general comments about our knowledge of the relationship between female (and male!) tobacco smoking and reproduction:  | Over 20 published studies in the medical literature have detailed the adverse effects of tobacco smoking on fertility | | Tobacco smoke contains several hundred substances, many of which are toxic | | A study done in mice showed that nicotine had disruptive effects on egg maturation, ovulation rates, and fertilization rates. The study also showed more chromosomal abnormalities in the eggs exposed to nicotine. | | Ovarian reseerve and egg quality are reduced in women who smoke | | Smokers have lower numbers of follicles when stimulated for in vitro fertilization | | Smokers have lower numbers of eggs retrieved with in vitro fertilization | | Smokers have lower rates of fertilization of the eggs with in vitro fertilization | | Smokers have increased rates of miscarriage with in vitro fertilization pregnancies | | One study showed that the chance for an IVF pregnancy was 2.7 times higher for women who have never smoked as compared to women that do (or have previously). The same study showed that if the woman smoked for over 5 years, the risk was increased to 4.8 | | There is also some evidence that male smoking decreases success rates with IVF. It is not known whether this effect would be caused directly by the sperm, or whether it represents a negative effect on the egg and embryo quality through passive exposure (second hand exposure). | If you smoke - quit. If you are having trouble getting pregnant or particularly if you are planning to go through in vitro fertilization - quit even sooner. Fertility can improve after quitting, and IVF success rates are higher in women that used to smoke than in women that smoked during the ovarian stimulation, egg retrieval, embryo transfer time frame. Cigarette smoke contains many compounds, including nicotine, that may interfere with fertility. Studies have shown varying results -- either a decrease in pregnancy rates or increased risk of miscarriage. In addition, other studies have shown that smokers tend to enter menopause earlier. Ovarian drilling, a surgical procedure that often restores ovulation in women with polycystic ovary syndrome, does not seem to work for women who smoke. In men, markers for DNA damage to sperm from oxygen-free radicals increases with the number of cigarettes smoked. All in all, cigarette smoking is harmful to reproductive health.
Eggs remain dormant until about three months before ovulation, when the cells surrounding the egg start to grow. So while smoking can have a permanent effect by decreasing the number of eggs that remain in the ovary, it would appear that the effects of smoking would be nil if you stop smoking three months before conception.
2: Smoking and Male Fertility Men who smoke not only have poorer sperm quality than nonsmokers, but also have lower sex drives and less frequent sex. These findings were reported at the joint annual meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and the Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society. Dr. Panayiotis Zavos and colleagues recruited 290 couples undergoing evaluation for infertility at the Andrology Institute of America. On their initial visit, couples were asked to complete a questionnaire detailing their smoking habits and their marital and sexual history. Results from the questionnaire revealed that where the male partner smoked, the couple had been trying to conceive for 3.1 years compared with 2.6 years for nonsmoking couples. Smokers also reported having sex only 5.7 times per month, compared with nonsmokers who had sex 11.6 times per month. Results from semen analyses also revealed the quality of spermatozoa from nonsmokers was superior to that of smokers both in terms of sperm viability and longevity. 4: The Affects of Alcohol If you're trying to get pregnant, you might want to re-think your choice of beverage. Research has shown that alcohol consumption can have an impact on fertility and a recent study found that it only takes a moderate amount. Having a glass of wine on weeknights -- five drinks a week -- could lower your chances of getting pregnant by about 40 percent. Ten drinks a week drops the chances by about 65 percent. In this study, doctors kept track of healthy couples trying to conceive and found that women who did not drink alcohol were most likely to conceive within six months. Doctors plan additional research to verify these study results, but if you are trying to conceive, you could try reducing or eliminating the amount of alcohol you drink. Doctors at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas say there's another reason women trying to get pregnant should avoid alcohol. It's been proven that consuming alcohol during pregnancy can result in birth defects. You may not realize you're pregnant for several weeks, and during that time, it's possible that you could damage the baby in its early developmental stages by drinking. Alcohol also reduces sperm count. In some men even just one beer can reduce the sperm count temporarily. It is important to work together (as it takes 2 to make a baby) and encourage your partner to stop smoking and drinking also. 
Page created by Emma Harvey | 
