Stopping Smoking Prior to Attempting to Conceive

As alluded to in an earlier blog, clearly there are both actions and inactions that affect the ability to conceive as well as the conceptus itself.  This particular blog centers on the ingestibles and inhalables involved with tobacco.

Women who smoke or chew tobacco can face major problems conceiving. These delays and effects are secondary to the products contained within tobacco (cotinine and metals such as cadmium) causing the oocytes to arrest growth.

Men are not immune.  How tobacco and the elements of cigarette smoke affects spermatogenesis is unclear.  However, smoking cessation will demonstrate an improvement in semen parameters in as little as 3 months.  There is a negative impact on ART (IVF cycles) if the male partner smokes with up to a reduction of 40% success rate.

If you are pregnant, you should quit, no matter how difficult it is. The health benefits are well worth it.