Smoking and Infertility

Q. Does smoking contribute to infertility?

A. Virtually all scientific evidence points to the fact that cigarette smoking has negative effects on both female and male fertility.

Smoking appears to accelerate the loss of a woman’s eggs as she ages, and may cause an early menopause. It is also strongly associated with an increased risk for miscarriage. Women who smoke during pregnancy are known to have low birthweight babies and preterm labor and delivery. There is also an increase in sudden infant death syndrome in homes where a smoker lives.

Men who smoke are known to have lower sperm counts and more abnormal sperm than men who do not smoke. The direct effects of this on fertility are less clear, but the second hand smoke that their female partners will be exposed to can create all of the same problems as if she were smoking herself.

Ultimately, smoking cessation needs to be the goal, but significant reductions in smoking are believed to help fertility, and should be attempted by all couples attempting to conceive who also smoke.