How Does Smoking Effect Conception & Fertility

Women smokers who try for a baby may take up to two months longer to conceive than non-smokers, doctors say.

Women have a 40% lower chance of getting pregnant if they smoke, according to a report published today by the British Medical Association (BMA). Smoking and passive smoking was also responsible for up to 5,000 miscarriages and 120,000 cases of male impotence in men aged between 30 and 50 every year, said the report, Smoking and Reproductive Life, by the BMA's board of science and tobacco control resource centre.

The 70-page report also pointed to new evidence that smoking increased the chances of foetal malformation such as cleft lip and palate.

cleft lip ovulation

Mr. Munafo stressed that smoking made conception harder for all women. It is not clear how smoking damages women's fertility, but it may affect the release of an egg before fertilisation or the quality of the eggs.

Meanwhile, scientists suspect that smoking may increase a man's risk of infertility because it causes several changes in the male reproductive system that may interfere with its normal functioning.

Toxic substances from cigarette smoke have been found in the semen (the fluid that contains the sperm) of smokers; they make their way there from the smoker's bloodstream. These toxic substances may damage the sperm. As a result, smokers have fewer sperm than non-smokers do, and their sperm are more likely to be abnormal. Smoking may also modify the levels of reproductive hormones in men.

Normal & abnormal sperms

If a couple is having infertility problems and the man is a smoker, doctors usually advise the man to quit smoking, since this might increase the couple's chances of having a baby. Quitting smoking is actually a good idea for any man who wants to become a father, even if the man doesn't have infertility problems. Smoking by parents is bad for the health of their children. And of course, parents who smoke are harming their own health as well.

Why smoking is bad for you

Smoking causes cancer, heart disease and chronic lung disease. Smoking is the biggest avoidable risk factor for cancer. It causes nine out of ten cases of lung cancer. Smoking is also a risk factor for cancer of the bladder, kidney, cervix, throat (pharynx and larynx), mouth, oesophagus (foodpipe), pancreas and stomach and for some types of leukaemia (cancer of the blood).
lung cancer smoker's lung mouth cancer

How does smoking cause cancer?
Cigarette smoke is packed full of roughly 4000 compounds, many of which are toxic and can cause damage to our cells. Some are carcinogenic (cancer-causing). The three main ingredients of cigarette smoke are:
-- NICOTINE
-- CARBON MONOXIDE
-- TAR

NICOTINE is not carcinogenic. It doesn't cause cancer. But it is a highly addictive and very fast-acting drug. Once inhaled, nicotine reaches the brain in less than 15 seconds. Most smokers are addicted to nicotine and crave cigarettes to feed their addiction. This is the key ingredient that keeps people buying cigarettes and keeps the tobacco companies in business.

CARBON MONOXIDE is a tasteless, odourless poisonous gas. It is taken up by the bloodstream quickly and impairs the smoker's breathing. The gas is also emitted by car exhausts, faulty boilers and fires and is very dangerous in badly ventilated spaces. Inhaling too much carbon monoxide causes coma and death by asphyxiation.

TAR is a substance made up of various chemicals, many of which are known to cause cancer. Around 70 per cent of the tar in cigarettes is deposited in the smoker's lungs.

Other harmful chemicals in cigarette smoke include:
-- ACETONE, more commonly used in nail polish remover
-- AMMONIA, used in the dry cleaning industry
-- ARSENIC, a deadly poison used in pest control and insecticides
-- BENZENE, a cancer-causing agent used in the production of fuel and chemicals
-- CADMIUM, a very poisonous chemical that can cause liver, kidney and brain damage, used in batteries
-- FORMALDEHYDE, a known carcinogen used to preserve dead bodies

PASSIVE SMOKING
Smoking doesn't just harm the smoker. It can also cause disease and death among people exposed to the smoke. Passive smoking is particularly harmful to babies and children whose parents smoke in the home. Passive smoking may also cause miscarriage, premature birth, low birth weight, stillbirth, cot death, 'glue' ear, asthma and other respiratory problems.

WHAT ARE THE RISKS?
Tobacco smoking has no safe level of use. It is the only consumer product that kills a high proportion of those who use it in the way intended by the manufacturers. Overall, one in two smokers (smoking 20 per day from age 18) will die from their habit, half of them in middle age. The risk of getting lung cancer from smoking
-- is directly related to the number of cigarettes smoked. The higher the consumption, the higher the risk.
-- is highly dependent on how long a person has smoked. So smoking 1 packet a day for 40 years is much more hazardous than smoking 2 packets a day for 20 years.
-- is drastically reduced by quitting. Smokers who stop before the age of 35 have a life expectancy not significantly different from non-smokers. Even stopping in middle age has great benefits.
-- is halved by staying off cigarettes for ten years. The longer you don't smoke, the more you lower your risk.

GIVING UP
It is never too late to quit smoking, although the sooner you quit the greater the long-term benefits for your health. There are also instant benefits to be had from giving up smoking, like improvements in your breathing. Also, your sense of smell and taste will improve and skin problems may clear up.

Reduce LDL Naturally

LDL can be reduced by:

* Non-wheat fibers─Ground flaxseed is by far the best. This combination of protein, fibers, and healthy oils with no digestible carbohydrates can reduce LDL cholesterol 20-30 mg/dl. Another good non-wheat fiber is oat bran, with twice the beta glucan (fiber) content compared to oatmeal. Use it just like flaxseed as a hot cereal, etc. Use it as a hot cereal or added to other foods, such as chilis, yogurt, oatmeal, etc. 2-3 tbsp per day is the desired quantity for both.

flaxseed


* Raw nuts─Best are the fiber-coated nuts like almonds, walnuts, pecans, and hazelnuts. Raw pistachios (tough to find; try Trader Joe's) are another good choice. Benefits begin at ¼ cup per day or more. Nuts, provided they are raw (and not "honey roasted," "party mix," "beer nuts," mixed nuts roasted in hydrogenated oils, etc.) do not cause weight gain, contrary to popular advice. They can be eaten in unlimited quantities.


almonds walnuts pecans hazelnuts

* Elimination of wheat, cornstarch, and sugary snacks─Because over 70% of adults now have small LDL particles triggered by these foods, elimination leads to a dramatic reduction of both small LDL and total LDL. However, this strategy works only if a substantial proportion (>30%) of LDL particles are small. (This requires a test called "lipoprotein analysis.")


* Flavonoids─These are the brightly-colored components of foods that confer many of the wonderful health properties of vegetables and fruits. The most prominent LDL-reducing effects have been shown for dark chocolate (preferably 70% cocoa or greater) and brewed green tea (brewed only; never instant or pre-mixed bottles). Dark chocolate, 40 grams (approximately 2 inches square) or several cups green tea per day are required for full effect.


* Vitamin D─Restoration of vitamin D levels to normal can yield reductions in LDL of 10-20 mg/dl.