What is the effect of smoking on male fertility?
The harms smoking inflicts on our health are not a secret. And yet people are still smoking all types of devices, cigarettes, hookah, vape, and different types of electronic cigarettes. In this article we will talk about the effect of smoking on male fertility and how it directly affects the attempts to conceive.
The effect of smoking on overall health
Traditional cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, vape, and hookah, contain toxins that harm the lungs, and the rest of the body including the reproductive system in General. Several studies have shown that smoking hurts female and male fertility. But since in our societies, the percentage of smoking men is higher than women, we will address smoking and male fertility in this article.
Effect of smoking on male fertility
After surveying several medical studies and research papers, that analyzed the effect smoking has on reproductive and sexual health, researchers found that smoking, in all its forms, affects fertility, fertility treatments, and chances to conceive. Results showed that smoking:
- Increases the chance of suffering from erectile dysfunction, which directly disturbs male fertility.
- Low sperm count.
- Sperm weakness.
- Decrease in sperm concentration.
- Alteration of sperm DNA which negatively impacts conception attempts.
- Sperm deformity.
- Decrease in chances of success of fertility treatments, especially IVF and ICSI treatment.
- Increased chance of miscarriage, even if the mother is a non-smoker, her exposure to secondhand smoke from her husband can cause miscarriage.
- Smoking even second-hand affects female fertility as it causes a notable ovarian insufficiency.
In conclusion, to improve both female and male fertility and increase the chances of conceiving, both husband and wife must cease to smoke. Due to the harm, it causes to reproductive health, it is essential not to succumb to the misconception that some types of smoking are not harmful.
Also read Trying to conceive? Can your lifestyle affect that?
