“Love yourself enough
to lead a healthy life "
We know that smoking can be a ground for cancer, heart
problems, stroke and pulmonary diseases. Sadly, the list doesn’t end here,
studies and analysis conducted worldwide indicates that smoking can cause
infertility in both men and women. Smoking is not good for the health of sperms and in turn has adverse affect on
fertility. The fact is that smoking can actually cause infertility, miscarriages,
preterm labours, growth retarded babies and the worst - childhood cancer.
Shocking fact is that more than one-third of the world’s population over the age of 15 years are smokers. Cigarette smoke contains more than 4000 harmful chemicals. It has around 60 carcinogens and mutogens including nicotine, carbon monoxide, heavy metals, benzopyrene, dimethylbenzanthracene, dimethylnitrosamine, naphthalene, and metanaphtalene.
Negative consequences of
smoking on male fertility
The smokers semen
samples showed reduced sperm count, motility and viability. This low
quality sperm is less likely to fertilize eggs, which in turn inhibits
the chance of conceiving.
Mechanism of action
Creatine kinase (CK) is an enzyme, expressed by various
tissues and cell types that require high energy. This enzyme reversibly
catalyzes conversion of creatine and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to
phosphocreatine and adenosine diphosphate (ADP). CK activity in seminal plasma, sperm cells and total semen considerably diminished
with smoking.
There is permanent and severe DNA damage leading to
prevention of oocyte fertilisation or the development of the embryo resulting
in miscarriages. This damaged sperm loses its power to ward off destructive
free radicals in semen. Toxic materials have also been detected in smokers
semen. Nicotine is also known to alter the hormonal balance through
stimulation of cortisol, the growth hormone, which in turn will curb the
release of LH,FSH and PRL. Smoking can also lead to erectile dysfunction due to
circulatory problems caused by the blocking of arteries.
The reactive oxygen species ( ROS) are atoms with unstable electron and are byproducts of metabolism of glucose in living cells. They grab electrons from surrounding atoms, making them unstable, which ultimately becomes like a chain reaction, making the cells damage, degenerate or mutate. The ROS is found to be high in smokers. In normal conditions anti oxidants repair the negative effects by donating the extra electron that the ROS requires. The levels of antioxidants are found low in smokers, even their capacity to neutralise ROS is found to be less.
Leukocytes (WBC) are the major source of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the
ejaculate and elevated leukocytes impairs fertility by the formation of
reactive oxygen species, which are in turn harmful to sperm DNA and membrane
phospholipids because of oxidation, thus damaging sperms and causing mutation
of genes leading to abnormalities. For more details on antioxidants read http://bangaloreivf.blogspot.ae/2015/10/what-are-antioxidants-and-their-benefits.html
Negative consequences of smoking on female fertility
It is highly advisable for women to quit smoking before they
plan their pregnancy. A pregnant smoker is risking her unborn baby’s life, as
smoking aggravates the risk of spontaneous abortion, premature birth, very low
birth weight, sudden infant death and ectopic pregnancies. I advice my patients
to quit smoking at least 3 months prior doing the IVF procedure, as smoking
unfavorably affects the procedure through premature aging of ovaries.
Physiology of the men is such that they keep producing semen throughout their
life. But women are born with a fixed number of eggs, if these eggs are damaged
or depleted no amount of treatment can bring them back. Heavy Cigarette smoking
has proven to cause tubal and cervical problems and DNA damages to
the ovarian follicles. Even early menopause caused by premature aging of
ovaries has been linked to smoking.
Dr.
Anita Mani
Infertility Specialist at Gift IVF Centre
Infertility Specialist at Gift IVF Centre
anitadane@gmail.com
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Dr. Anita Mani is a renowned infertility specialist in
south India with 15 years experience in ART (Assisted Reproductive Technology).
Dr. Anita has successfully set up ART hospitals in Cochin and Bangalore,
along with her spouse Dr. S Mani. She
completed MRCOG, from Royal College of Obstetrician and Gynaecologist London, DFFP from ART Warwick university and worked
in UK for 5 years. Dr. Anitha believes in scientific and ethical practice and
is currently the director of Gift Gyno IVF centre Cochin
and Bangalore. Apart from advanced laparoscopic
surgeries, she is also an expert in various ART techniques including IVF,
IUI, ICSI , donor egg / sperm. Her proficiency is in
genetic abnormalities and high risk pregnancies.
