$Unique_ID{BRK01268}
$Pretitle{Pregnancy and Childbirth}
$Title{Is it Possible That Smoking Can Affect Fertility?}
$Subject{pregnancy smoking infertility}
$Volume{K-23}
$Log{
The Effects of Smoking-I*0007301.scf
The Effects of Smoking-II*0007302.scf}

Copyright (c) 1991   Tribune Media Services, Inc.


Is it Possible That Smoking Can Affect Fertility?


------------------------------------------------------------------------------

QUESTION:  I have been trying to conceive for some time, without any success.
I am a heavy smoker, and my husband is blaming this as the cause.  Is it
possible that smoking is affecting my fertility?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ANSWER:  So it appears.  While many factors affect a woman's chances of
becoming pregnant and it seems that smoking is one of them.
     In one large study performed by British researchers to determine the
factors that effect fertility, they discovered several factors, but the most
significant one was smoking.
     There was a consistent connection between smoking and lack of fertility
and the fertility rate went down as the number of cigarettes smoked per day
went up.  Women who smoked more than 15 cigarettes a day were only 80 percent
as likely to become pregnant in any given month.  Almost 11 percent of women
who smoked 20 cigarettes a day (a pack) were infertile over a five-year
period, versus only 5 percent of nonsmokers.
     No one is sure how smoking affects fertility, but it is known to alter
the levels of estrogen found in a woman's urine.  Also, women who smoke
experience menopause sooner than those who don't.  If you're trying to become
pregnant (or even if you're not) it's advisable to stop smoking.

----------------

The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace 
the counsel and advice of your personal physician.  Promptly consulting your 
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical 
problem.
