<i>Consequences of smoking on reproductive health</i>
There are no systems of human body spared from the pronged harmful effects of smoking – heart, lungs, brain, blood vessels and what not. But very few of us know about the harmful effect of smoking on our sexual and reproductive health.
Studies carried out on the effect of smoking on male reproductive ability have shown that cigarette smoking is associated with a significant decrease in sperm density, total sperm count, total number of motile sperm and citrate concentration in semen. Besides, smoking has been shown to have deleterious effects on sperm morphology, sperm vitality, and ejaculated volume of semen. The available biologic, experimental, and epidemiological data indicate that up to 13 percent of infertility may be attributable to cigarette smoking.
The poisonous elements of cigarettes can change the sperm morphology which is an important indicator in fertility and fertilization chances are also reduced according to the percentage of sperm affected. It becomes more important for those who have sperm concentration near the lower limit. Smoking has also been found to affect accessory glands of male reproductive system.
Smokers require nearly twice the number of In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) attempts to conceive as nonsmokers.
In female, the harmful consequences of cigarette smoking include various factors accelerating the loss of reproductive function and may advance the time of menopause (cessation of menstruation) by one to four years. Smoking is associated with increased risks of spontaneous abortion and ectopic pregnancy (implantation of embryo at places other than the uterus). Gamete (sperm, ovum) mutagenesis is one possible mechanism whereby smoking may adversely affect fecundity (ability to reproduction) and reproductive performance. germ cell is that it can alter the vital structure called oocytes (immature ova) leading to chromosomal abnormalities which affect reproductive outcomes.
Recent data from smokers suggested a link between smoking and a high incidence of childhood cancer in offspring through DNA damage of sperm and oocytes.
It is not uncommon that heavy smokers semen parameters are within normal ranges but a clear negative trend is observed in the smokers' semen is that they are more likely to pass on genetically abnormal, mutant DNA contained in the sperm to their offspring through fertilization process. Therefore, any man wishing to have children should know these scientific studies. The accumulated evidence supports the value of taking a preventive approach to infertility by discouraging smoking and helping to eliminate exposure to tobacco smoke in both women and men.
The writer is a Consultant, Infertility & Assisted Reproductive Treatment of Labaid Specialised Hospital.
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