How bad does smoking affect your ability to conceive?

How do cigarettes affect conception?

When planning a pregnancy, you should get rid of all bad habits, and cigarettes are one of the most detrimental to the health of the unborn child. The effect of smoking on conception is really great; this habit makes becoming a mother much more difficult.

It happens that women complain about problems conceiving a child while smoking another cigarette, and do not even think that when planning a pregnancy, smoking may be the source of problems. “After all, conception has not yet occurred, so the cigarette is not important,” they think. However, statistics show: women who smoke are 50% more likely to be infertile. It is because of women's smoking that many couples remain childless.

How does smoking affect pregnancy in women? A woman's eggs accumulate toxic substances that enter the body through the lungs of a smoker. Because of this, they weaken and die. Even surviving eggs may not fully mature due to toxin poisoning. This is why you need to quit smoking even before pregnancy, to give both the eggs and the body as a whole time to recover. And it’s better not to start smoking at all, because the health of a smoker is, by definition, worse than that of someone who doesn’t smoke.

Smoking in women leads to menstrual irregularities, sometimes absence of menstruation and premature menopause.

Doctors' recommendations

Couples planning children should follow some recommendations:

• stop smoking one year before the planned pregnancy,

• restore the body with the help of mineral and vitamin complexes,
• adjust your diet,
• engage in physical activity.

There are cases in medical practice when, after many unsuccessful attempts to have a child, spouses got rid of nicotine addiction and the situation changed in a positive direction. For example, a woman quit smoking and became pregnant on the first try.

Important! How healthy their future baby will be depends entirely on the parents. Therefore, you need to find ways to break a bad habit even before planning a pregnancy. For this, it is best to use medications. But the main motive for quitting smoking should be the desire to give birth to healthy offspring.

Infertility treatment and bad habits

Recently, the procedure of in vitro fertilization (IVF) has become increasingly popular. According to statistics, embryos in women who smoke are implanted half as often as in non-smokers. The use of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), which is used for sperm problems, also proves difficult. In general, smoking significantly reduces the chances of overcoming infertility in both women and men. And these are not empty words. As was found in a study on a large sample (approximately ten thousand couples), it is 38% more difficult for smokers to get a child through artificial insemination.

Smoking woman

When answering the question of whether smoking affects the conception of a child in women, doctors will definitely say that there is a certain detrimental effect. First of all, nicotine causes the reproductive system to start working incorrectly. Namely, there is a decrease in the level of the produced hormone, which is responsible for the maturation of the egg and the onset of ovulation.

Therefore, answering the question of how smoking affects a woman’s conception of a child, experts say that this addiction reduces the likelihood of pregnancy even in situations where favorable days for fertilization are correctly calculated and determined. Smoking during conception stops the mobility of eggs, which directly affects the correctness of calculating the days of ovulation.

Doctors also say that the germ cell can die even before it leaves the ovaries; accordingly, even when it meets a sperm, it is not fertilized. In addition, the constant presence of nicotine leads to a decrease in the production of estrogen by the body.

The effect of smoking on conception is also negative because the substances found in cigarettes lead to an increase in the viscosity of cervical mucus. This causes the inability of sperm to penetrate into the genital tract to a sufficient depth. Nicotine also leads to destabilization of the menstrual cycle.

And another important point related to nicotine addiction is that the effect of smoking on conceiving a child is negative in terms of reducing reproductive age. Thus, women who smoke often experience earlier menopause.

Even if pregnancy occurs, in most clinical cases gynecologists note premature birth.

What if you smoke in the early stages?

Pregnancy can be known from about the fourth week, so in some cases women smoke even at the beginning of pregnancy. What consequences can smoking have on the fetus while pregnant? Nicotine causes vasoconstriction, which means less oxygen and nutrients needed for development are delivered to the baby. This is fraught with low birth weight and intrauterine growth retardation. There is also a negative effect on the developing nervous system. Due to nicotine, the body loses vitamins B and C, as well as folic acid, which negatively affects the level of fetal development and can cause premature birth and miscarriages.

That is why, as soon as pregnancy is detected, quit immediately! Even light “ladies’” cigarettes or hookah are prohibited. You should also tell your doctor that you have smoked. Perhaps he will prescribe a special vitamin complex or drugs to support the fetus.

What problems can a smoker have during pregnancy?

Some continue to “tar” even during the period of bearing a child, without thinking about the terrible harm they cause to him:

• nicotine causes oxygen starvation in the fetus;
• the functioning of many body systems is disrupted, which negatively affects the baby;
• fetal growth slows down and pathologies may occur;
• the risk of diseases in the child increases after birth;
• the risk of miscarriage increases;
• premature birth is possible;
• Girls are more likely to have chromosomal disease.

In general, smoking during pregnancy damages the child’s health and weakens his immunity. Very often, children of cigarette lovers suffer from respiratory diseases: asthma, bronchitis and others.

Important! Smoking during pregnancy may cause reproductive dysfunction in the fetus.

If a woman finds out about her situation and abruptly quits smoking, she will be able to avoid harmful factors, but problems may still arise:

• slow intrauterine development;
• weakened immunity in the future;
• premature birth;
• insufficient weight gain.

Should a future dad quit smoking?

If a man smokes in the family, then we can identify two main factors that negatively affect the conception and formation of a child:

1. His companion becomes a passive smoker;
2. Nicotine causes changes in the epithelial tubules of the ovaries in men, which negatively affects the quality of their sperm. How is this influence expressed? In DNA changes leading to less viability of sperm, possible problems with genetics in the child.

Therefore, for a man, planning a pregnancy and smoking are incompatible concepts.

Smoking also affects sperm quality. Quality should be understood as parameters such as sperm motility and viability, volume, composition and other parameters of seminal fluid. Smoking causes the following:

• Sperm concentration decreases. The normal level is considered to be between 20 and 300 million sperm per milligram. Scientists have found that smoking on average leads to a decrease in concentration by 23%.
• Sperm motility also deteriorates - by an average of 13%. This leads to problems when penetrating a woman's genital tract. Especially a woman who smokes, because when smoking there is more mucus that interferes with penetration.
• The size, structure, and shape of sperm may also undergo changes not for the better. Due to their irregular structure, they may not be as effective at fertilization, in addition, their lifespan is reduced.

Smoking may cause men to experience problems with potency, decreased libido, and an increased risk of developing heart and vascular diseases. Nicotine can cause erectile dysfunction. hormonal imbalance occurs.

Do you want to have healthy children? Drop it!

The influence of tobacco on the child’s body in the future

During the combustion of tobacco, toxic components are released. They quickly penetrate the blood and enter the baby’s body. Particularly dangerous:

• hydrocyanic acid:
• nicotine resins:
• cyanide:
• carbon monoxide.

These substances accumulate in tissues, disrupting the formation of all its systems.

In the future, after the birth of a child, he develops the following pathologies:

• deterioration of the elasticity of the walls of blood vessels,
• dysfunction of receptors,
• hormonal changes
• slowdown of updating processes,
• reduction in the amount of collagen produced,
• depression of lung function,
• problems with the gastrointestinal tract.

If a woman does not stop smoking during breastfeeding, then tar and nicotine continue to accumulate in the baby’s body. They gradually accumulate on the walls of blood vessels, reducing their elasticity. As a result, they become brittle and do not fully perform their function. In addition, children of smokers often develop hypertension. This is due to a decrease in the lumen inside the vessels. Blood is forced through a smaller diameter, which increases pressure. This condition provokes cerebral hemorrhages and heart attacks.

Having matured, the child of a smoking woman often becomes an active tobacco user himself. He has a decrease in receptor sensitivity. There are disturbances in olfactory and tactile function.

The result of cigarette consumption is a change in the hormonal balance in the body. The pituitary gland and gonads are responsible for the production of sex hormones. Due to oxygen starvation, which is caused by tobacco smoke, these organs stop producing them fully. Hormonal imbalances occur.

To give their baby a healthy future, his parents must approach the conception process responsibly. They need to change their lifestyle and give up any bad habits, not just cigarettes.

How long before pregnancy should you quit?

It is recommended to quit at least three months before the planned conception of a child for men and six months to a year for women. It takes three months for the sperm to fully mature in the body. The female body needs more time, and six months is the bare minimum. Some researchers even increase this period to 2-3 years.

But usually a year is enough. To make sure everything is in order, it is recommended to get tested before conceiving. You should definitely quit smoking before pregnancy and stick to it for the prescribed period, so you will significantly increase your chances of conceiving and having a healthy baby.

So, the doctors’ recommendation is clear: you need to quit smoking before pregnancy, and in advance. However, if you suddenly find out that you are pregnant and remember with horror that you smoked several cigarettes this month (or even smoked regularly), calm down. Conceiving a child and smoking are poorly compatible things, but this is not a reason for an abortion! Yes, your habit has harmed the health of your unborn baby. But what's done is done. After all, in the end, everything will depend on your overall health and the course of your pregnancy. Now your task is to immediately quit smoking, lead a healthy lifestyle and not worry. Former smokers have a good chance of becoming mothers of healthy children.

The effect of smoking on sperm quality

Tobacco negatively affects the properties of male sperm. The number of sperm decreases sharply, their quality and ability to move quickly suffer. In this condition, the chance of conceiving is low. The sperm simply does not have time to fertilize the egg. Cells with defects appear, as a result of which the risk of conception and birth of a child with abnormalities and pathologies increases.

Do not forget that passive smoking causes the same harm as active smoking. When you inhale tobacco vapor, the same substances enter the body and cause damage to health.

Smoking causes total harm to health - both male and female. This has a particularly noticeable effect on reproductive function. It is several times more difficult for partners who have this bad habit to conceive a child, and if they succeed, then there is a high probability of having a baby with pathologies.

Future parents must not only carefully prepare for conception psychologically, but also devote time to physiological aspects.

To smoke or not is everyone's choice. It must be remembered that not only the cigarette lover suffers from this addiction, but also the people who are nearby, and most importantly, their own future children and the opportunity to have them.

Female smoking and conception

Both parents should take pregnancy planning seriously. Nicotine poisons and toxins destroy all cells of the body (sex cells are no exception). It has been proven that smoking significantly affects the reproductive function of the male body. As a result of prolonged exposure to nicotine, a man begins to experience problems with erection, and his spermatogenesis slows down.

A man who smokes has a 15% reduction in sperm count compared to a non-smoker. This reduces the chance of fertilization. Most men diagnosed with infertility have a long history of smoking.

If a woman gets pregnant without problems, she and her unborn child are already a passive smoker, being next to a smoking man. Passive smoking is as harmful to the body of the expectant mother and fetus as active smoking. The entry of nicotine into an organism that is just beginning its formation can lead to the most unpredictable consequences.

The lifestyle of a modern woman creates unfavorable conditions for pregnancy, increasing the number of infertile marriages. But sometimes giving up bad habits and changing your lifestyle contribute to conception.

Smoking has the most detrimental effect on the process of conception and pregnancy. Here are just some of the dangerous effects of cigarettes:

• Nicotine causes spasm of the pelvic vessels and deterioration of blood supply.
• Cigarettes contain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are toxic to the fallopian tube epithelium and endometrium.
• When smoking, changes develop in the lining of the uterus that prevent implantation of the embryo.
• Exposure of eggs to PAHs leads to their death or damage. This reduces the number of possible ovulations and artificially brings the period of menopause closer.
• Damaged DNA can lead to the development of congenital abnormalities in the fetus.

Substances contained in cigarettes disrupt the functioning of the liver, the organ in which glucocorticoid and sex hormones are metabolized. Damage to hepatocytes causes disturbances in the endocrine system. For a woman this will be expressed:

• disruptions in the menstrual cycle;
• periodic absence of menstruation;
• nonovulatory bleeding.

The effect of smoking on conception in women continues even when trying to become pregnant through artificial insemination. It is more difficult for smokers to obtain high-quality eggs, and implantation may not occur or may result in miscarriage. According to statistics, women with bad habits need 2 times more IVF attempts to get pregnant.

The impact of a man's smoking on conception is often overlooked. At the same time, in men, nicotine also causes vasospasm, impairs blood supply to the pelvic organs, which affects the potency and quality of sperm.

Studies have shown that in men who smoke, the number of sperm per milliliter of semen decreases by 23%. Sperm become less mobile, which means it is more difficult for them to overcome the mucus in the cervix, reach the egg and penetrate it.

When smoking, the structure of germ cells also changes: more defective ones appear, and the life span of the cells decreases. Damage to genetic information leads to congenital diseases in the child. Hormonal imbalances also reduce the ability to conceive.

Sperm with the Y chromosome in smokers are less resistant to harmful influences and are the first to die under their influence, so a smoking man may not wait for the birth of a son.

Smoking weed and hookah affects conception in a similar way to tobacco:

• fertility in women decreases;
• Potency deteriorates and the ability to fertilize in men decreases.

Sperm in men is completely renewed in 3 months, so the future dad needs to give up bad habits about a quarter before the planned conception.

Women were less fortunate. The eggs are semi-ripe in the ovaries and are released one at a time at each ovulation. When a woman starts smoking, her entire genetic material is negatively affected. To increase the possibility of conceiving a full-fledged child, the expectant mother needs to give up the bad habit at least a year in advance.

Smoking before pregnancy harms the mother and the unborn child, even if it is passive inhalation of tobacco smoke. A woman should avoid places where smokers gather, prefer non-smoking rooms in cafes and restaurants, ask her husband not to smoke in her presence and quit this bad habit herself.

Yulia Shevchenko, obstetrician-gynecologist, especially for Mirmam.pro

Useful video

All women know that smoking and pregnancy are two incompatible things, but not everyone agrees to give up a bad habit in the name of having a healthy child. How does smoking affect conception: based on statistical data, it can be noted that women who smoke are 60% more likely to experience infertility. This is explained by several reasons.

1. Late fertilization.
2. The accumulation of toxins in eggs, which are formed in the female body at birth. As a result of the harmful effects of tobacco, egg cells become necrosis and their subsequent maturation is stopped.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiSzuC8budA

It is important to note that even the in vitro fertilization procedure is not always able to overcome infertility if the habit is abused. In women who smoke, 2 times fewer embryos survive than in women who do not smoke.

Regarding the state of the male reproductive system while smoking, several facts should be noted.

1. Nicotine and its tars negatively affect the quality and quantity of a man’s seminal fluid. This is directly related to changes in the epithelial tubules of the testicles. Sperm deformation occurs, which significantly reduces the chances of successful fertilization.
2. A male's addiction to smoking has a negative impact on a woman's body, since she acts as a passive smoker.

Marijuana smoking and ectopic pregnancy

Drugs negatively affect female sexual health, so smoking marijuana and conception are not compatible. Proof of this will be the fact of the formation of an ectopic localization of the fetus when consuming cannabis.

A randomized study was conducted on mice, during which it was discovered that the herb contains tetrahydrocannabinol. This substance binds to the CB1 and CB2 receptors of the embryo.

The anamide substance must interact with these receptors. Not happening. It circulates in the blood in increased volumes, preventing implantation of the embryo and its normal development.

Normally, the embryo should have remained in the wall of the uterus, but without attaching there, it continues on its way and ends up in the tubes, ovaries, and abdominal cavity. This condition requires surgical correction.

General harm of cigarettes

It is no surprise to anyone that conception and smoking have a close relationship. To be more precise, these two concepts contradict each other, since in the presence of such an addiction, fertilization, even if it occurs, the child may be born with genetic diseases or other developmental disorders.

The effect of smoking on conception and pregnancy

Many people are unconditionally interested in smoking and how this addiction affects the conception of a child. Unfortunately, it is not possible to get rid of it at once, since tobacco smoke is highly addictive and a man or woman takes up a cigarette every time without thinking about their actions.

Tobacco is also dangerous because it has the ability to destroy some cells of vital substances in the body. That is why, before conceiving, it is worth getting rid of the addiction, and also giving some time for the body to recover and return to normal. Let's take a closer look at how conceiving a child and smoking in a man or woman are interconnected.

Consequences of smoking in men

It has been proven that in fifty percent of cases a man is infertile.

Cigarettes are on the list of reasons affecting potency. Boys have a significant advantage: sperm is renewed every 3-4 months. Researchers have proven that a potential father who smokes passes on mutated DNA to his offspring.

The offspring are guaranteed to be at risk for cancer. The percentage of active sperm capable of conception decreases in the ejaculate - the chances of success decrease.

Another problem is passive smoking of the expectant mother. Men who smoke poison their children in utero with harmful smoke.

1. The risk of cancer in the unborn baby increases.
2. Sperm is more viscous, depleted of active and ready-to-interact sperm.
3. Vascular ischemia caused by nicotine reduces erection.
4. The child is a passive smoker.