The relationship between smoking and fertility

The article was professionally consulted with BSCK I Le Hong Lien - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Vinmec Central Park International General Hospital.

Men's sperms are produced continuously, but they take three months to mature. During this process, if the man smokes, the quality and shape of the sperm will be changed, the ability to produce sperm will also be reduced. Thus, for men who smoke, the health of the sperm will be very weak, and at the same time produce abnormal hormones that directly affect fertility.
Sperm born will not be able to swim or be unable to fertilize an egg. Some research results suggest that tobacco ingredients found in the semen of smokers inhibit the activity of the choline acetyltransferase enzyme system, which is an important enzyme in sperm function.
Smoking can also affect sperm concentration in men, sperm count in smokers will be 23% lower than normal and testosterone hormone levels that help sperm production are also reduced. This reduces the chances of conception significantly.
In addition, there are a number of other documented cases of tobacco's effects on male reproductive health such as endocrine problems or erectile dysfunction. Especially, with cases of heavy smoking at the time of conception (smoking more than 20 cigarettes a day), the risk of leukemia in children also increases.

Smokers are more likely to have fertility problems than the general population. In particular, the effects of tobacco on women, especially pregnant women, are extremely serious. If a woman has smoked for many years or is a heavy smoker, her risk of fertility problems doubles. Here are some of the most well-documented adverse effects on women's health today:
2.1 Miscarriage Studies have shown that women who smoke more than 15 cigarettes a day take longer to conceive. longer than normal and the fetus's ability to develop is limited. Women who smoke are 1.5 to 3.2 times more likely to have a spontaneous miscarriage. Thus, smoking is a common cause of miscarriage in women.
Besides, the function of the fallopian tubes of women who smoke is also disturbed, the increased hormone levels will change the normal functioning of the eggs through the fallopian tubes. The process of embryo entering the uterus is a very important time to create a good environment for keeping the embryo inside the uterus. Therefore, if the embryo enters the uterus early and has not yet attached, it can lead to spontaneous abortion.
2.2 Fetal malformations As noted above, the functioning of the ovum through the fallopian tubes in women who smoke will be affected. This can also lead to a malformed pregnancy, according to statistics, the rate of birth defects in smokers is 2.2-4 times higher than in normal people. In addition, smoking increases the risk of ectopic pregnancy, especially tubal pregnancy, which can be dangerous for the pregnant woman herself.

In addition to miscarriage and birth defects, smoking can also cause adverse effects on a woman's reproductive health such as:
Ovulation problems; Causes damage to oocytes, even destroys oocytes; Genetic problems; Changes in estrogen and follicle-stimulating hormone levels; Affects egg quality, may cause early menopause; Increased risk of cancer and risk of miscarriage. Not only that, women who are exposed to secondhand smoke during pregnancy can also affect the development of girls' ovaries.

With the serious effects of smoking on the reproductive health of both sexes mentioned above, smoking cessation is really necessary to protect and improve fertility.
For men
Even if you have smoked for a long time, stopping smoking will help restore sperm health and they will become healthier. Because sperm takes three months to mature, men need to stop taking the pill three months before conception to have healthy sperm and improve the ability to fertilize an egg.

For women
Stopping smoking improves your chances of getting pregnant. Stopping smoking before conception or within the first three months of pregnancy reduces the risk of premature baby and birth defects. Stopping smoking early in pregnancy will help your baby have the same birth weight as women who don't smoke. Smoking not only affects fertility but also affects the health of the whole body. Therefore, quitting smoking is really necessary to have good health.
In addition, smoking also seriously affects other organs in the body. To protect your health as well as detect health problems early, you should have regular check-ups at a reputable medical facility.