More importantly….There is a higher rate of impotence in men who smoke
Male smokers have decreased sperm quality and increased presence of fragmented DNA
Effect on Female Fertility
May affect follicular microenvironment (egg growth and rupture).
Alter hormone levels and thereby increase the chance of no ovulation and miscarriage.
The increased thickness of zona pellucida(membrane covering the egg) leading to difficulty in sperm penetration.
The increased thickness of zona pellucida(membrane covering the egg) leading to difficulty in sperm penetration.
Smoking women need more time to become pregnant, are less likely to do so spontaneously and have a higher risk of miscarriage in the first trimester
Smoking women are also found to reach menopause a few years earlier.
The risk of infertility may be twice as high for smokers when compared with non-smokers.
Importantly, the impact of passive smoking on women’s natural fertility is only slightly less than that of active smoking.
Studies show that following IVF clinical pregnancy rates are around 20% in smokers as compared to around 40% in non-smokers.
Results after Stopping smoking
Sperm analysis after smoking cessation revealed a distinctive improvement in sperm concentration, fast spermatozoa (≥35 μm/s) & sperm vitality.
Cessation of smoking for at least two months before attempting IVF significantly improved chances for conception.
Although long-term cigarette smoking can have an irreversible effect on ovarian function, the harmful effect on treatment outcome may, in part, be reversed if smoking is discontinued.
Alcohol and Fertility
Alcohol is known to be teratogenic and its consumption has been reported to reduce fertility. Induces rise in E2
Reduces FSH
Impairs folliculogenesis
May directly affect ovulation, blastocyst development and implantation
Reduced conception has been reported already at doses as low as one drink per week.
The scarce data suggest that female alcohol consumption prior to the IVF centre in Mumbai attempt adversely affects oocyte retrieval and leads to lower pregnancy and higher miscarriage rates
Male drinking leads to more miscarriages and lower live birth rates.
Reportedly prolongs time to pregnancy
Caffeine and fertility
May target ovulation and corpus luteal function
Higher early follicular E2
A diet abundant in caffeine may result in delayed conception, infertility and increased risk of osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease and cancer later in life.
For the female partner, common exposures associated with a decrease in fertility are cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption of 4 drinks per week, and caffeine intake of >250 mg daily.