Effects of Smoking on Fertility

Are You Smoking Away Your Chances to Get Pregnant?

Hard evidence continues to add up to a simple fact of life: smoking is bad for a body. If you're trying to get pregnant, you should know that those bad effects can have immediate and lasting impact on conception attempts.

In their educational bulletin, "Smoking and Infertility," the Practice Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) reports that approximately 30 percent of reproductive age women and 35 percent of reproductive age men in the United States smoke cigarettes. From their review of studies conducted, the ASRM states that overall data indicate that up to 13 percent of infertility cases may be attributable to cigarette smoking.

While study after study concludes that the habit is harmful not only to a person's general health but also to their reproductive ability, many people are still unaware of the facts.

How Does Smoking Effect Fertility?

Smoking's overall health effects can stand in the way of optimal conditions for both conception and pregnancy. Specifically regarding getting pregnant, components of smoke can be found concentrated in the follicles (developing eggs) of women and in the testicles of men, which can result in reduction of the amount of eggs and sperm available for fertilization. Additionally, as stated in the ASRM bulletin, "Both chromosomal and DNA damage to human germ cells may result from tobacco smoke exposure." This appears to be true for both women and men.

There are a number of adverse effects for smokers who are trying to get pregnant:

  • Women who smoke experience menopause earlier than non-smokers
  • Smokers produce fewer eggs overall
  • The pregnancy rate per cycle is reduced as compared to non-smokers
  • If the conception hurdle is cleared, chances of ectopic (tubal) pregnancy are increased for smokers
  • Miscarriage is more apparent for smokers who have conceived
  • In men, smoking cigarettes has been linked to impaired morphology and motility of sperm cells

Who's At Risk for Smoking Related Infertility?

Virtually anyone who smokes will have at least somewhat diminished chances of pregnancy.

The effects of smoking on fertility seem to be dose-dependent. The more cigarettes smoked, the greater and longer-lasting the negative impact will be. The effects also appear to be cumulative -- the longer you've smoked, the longer the impact will last.

Studies demonstrate this negative impact for both men and women.

Passive smoke studies also conclude that excessive exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke may have reproductive consequences as great as those observed in smokers.

Will Quitting Help You Conceive?

Many experts attest that of all the various lifestyle choices that can increase a couple's chances at conception, stopping smoking is number one in importance.

Lest the facts about smoking and fertility seem daunting, the good news is that some of the effects seem to be reversible.

Patients need to realize that stopping is definitely better than continuing. There's no reason to give up hope and think that stopping at any point won't help. In fact, the opposite is true -- there do appear to be fertile benefits from quitting. However, smokers and even former smokers should realize from the onset of their attempts to conceive that the odds are against them, and they may need to seek fertility assistance earlier than people who've never smoked cigarettes.

Source: Smoking and Infertility. The Practice Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Fertility & Sterility, Vol. 81, No. 4, April 2004, p 1185

See an infertility specialist now
If you are trying to get pregnant and suspect ovulation or infertility problems time is important. Don't wait, see a specialist (reproductive endocrinologist) for a consultation. All our specialists can discuss the effects of smoking on fertility.