How Smoking Affects Fertility in Both Men and Women
2025-06-12 - Admin | Blog
How Smoking Affects Fertility in Both Men and Women
When a couple wants to start a family, the choices they make about their lifestyle have a big impact on their ability to get pregnant. For both men and women, smoking is one of the worst habits that can have a big effect on their ability to have children. Most people know that smoking can hurt your heart or lungs, but not many know that it can also hurt your ability to have children.
Research has shown over and over that smoking not only lowers the chances of getting pregnant, but it also raises the risk of problems during pregnancy and can even hurt the baby's health. MGM Hospital is known as one of the best gynaecologist hospitals in Patna. We help couples get pregnant by focussing on changes to their lifestyles that are good for their reproductive health.
The effects of smoking on fertility are the same for both men and women. Let's look at what can be done to increase the chances of a good pregnancy.
Effects of Smoking on Female Fertility
When they try to get pregnant, women who smoke may have a lot of problems. Nicotine, carbon monoxide, and tar are some of the dangerous chemicals found in cigarettes that can affect how well the reproductive system works.
1. Reduced Egg Quality and Quantity
When a woman smokes, her ovaries lose eggs faster. There are a set number of eggs that women are born with, and smoking makes them run out faster. This speeds up the ageing of the ovaries and shortens the time when a woman can get pregnant.
Also, smoking hurts the DNA in the eggs, which raises the risk of miscarriage or birth defects in the baby.
2. Disruption of Hormonal Balance
Ovulation and menstruation are controlled by hormones. Smoking stops the production of oestrogen and other hormones, which can cause periods to be unpredictable and ovulation problems. This can put off getting pregnant or even stop it from happening.
3. More likely to have an ectopic pregnancy
If you smoke, you have a higher chance of getting an ectopic pregnancy, which is when the fertilised egg settles outside the uterus, most often in the fallopian tubes. This is a life-threatening illness that needs medical help right away.
4. Fertility treatments that don't work well
IVF and other fertility methods may not work as well for women who smoke. When compared to people who don't smoke, their success rates with assisted reproductive methods are much lower. This shows how important it is to stop smoking before you try to get pregnant.
Why smoking can make men less fertile
A lot of men don't know how smoking can hurt their ability to have children. Just like smoking makes women less fertile, it also makes men's sperm less healthy and less able to do their job.
1. Less sperm and less movement
Cigarettes contain chemicals like nicotine that stop sperm from being made and slow down their movement. A smaller number of healthy sperm will reach the egg, which will make it harder to get pregnant.
2.0 Wrong Sperm Shape (Morphology)
Smoking changes the structure of sperm, making them less able to fertilise an egg because they have strange shapes. Poor shape makes it even less likely that a pregnancy will work.
3. Sperm DNA Damage
There are chemicals in tobacco smoke that hurt the DNA in sperm cells. This could lead to infertility, failed fertilisation, or losing the baby. It's more likely that genetic flaws will be passed on, even if fertilisation happens.
4. Trouble getting an erection
Smoking hurts blood vessels and limits blood flow, which can make it hard to get or keep an erection. This makes it even harder for couples who are trying to get pregnant naturally.
Help from Experts at MGM Hospital
At MGM Hospital, known for having some of the top 5 gynaecologists in Patna, we offer comprehensive fertility assessments and counseling for couples looking to conceive, we offer full pregnancy tests and counselling. Our experts know how the way you live your life, your emotions, and your body can affect your sexual health.
Our services include:
• Hormone and fertility tests
• Help with changing your lifestyle
• Support groups for giving up smoking
• Cutting edge fertility methods, like IUI and IVF
• One-on-one help from the best gynaecologist in Kankarbagh Patna
Modern medical technology and caring staff at MGM Hospital help couples reach their goal of having a child while also focussing on their health and well-being in the long run.
In conclusion
Both men and women who smoke have a much harder time getting pregnant. For women, it can mess up their hormones and damage their eggs. For men, it can lower the quality of their sperm and make it hard for them to get an erection. The good news is that giving up smoking can make your reproductive health much better and raise your chances of having a healthy kid.
Now is the time to put your health first if you or your partner want to get pregnant. You can take the first step towards a smoke-free and fertility-friendly future by going to MGM Hospital, which is known as one of the best gynaecologist hospitals in Patna.
