Kick the Habit Today
According to Dr. Kim, smoking has a negative effect on fertility for both men and women. “Women who smoke go through menopause an average of two years earlier than women who don’t,” says Dr. Kim. “That alone tells us smoking is toxic to the reproductive system.” Smoking is also strongly associated with an increased risk of miscarriage, and women who smoke are more prone to ectopic pregnancies. Smoking matters for men, too. “Men who smoke have lower sperm counts, less sperm motility [movement], and increased abnormalities in sperm shape,” says Dr. Kim. And if your partner smokes, he not only puts his sperm at risk, but he leaves you vulnerable to many of the same problems that plague women smokers. “If you want to get pregnant and have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby, you both have to stop—immediately,” urges Dr. Kim.
