Male and female infertility is a widespread phenomenon in today’s population, and an unhealthy lifestyle, including smoking and alcohol consumption, can have a negative impact on the reproductive health of individuals. Knowing whether these habits affect fertility or not can help people who are planning on getting pregnant better set their plans. This blog is dedicated to the consequences of smoking and alcohol consumption during pregnancy and parenting and provides general guidance for women planning to conceive.

What effect does it have on fertility?

1. Female Fertility:

Tobacco smoke has an adverse impact on the fertility of couples, especially women. For females, smoking results in delays in conception and a predisposition to infertility. points out that cigarettes contain poisonous substances, which include nicotine, cyanide, and carbon monoxide, and they enhance the loss of eggs. Unlike men,, who continually produce sperm throughout their lives, women are born with a number of eggs that get used up in the course of their lifetimes, and smoking speeds up this process. However, smoking hampers the ability to bear healthy kids as it affects the fallopian tubes and cervix, thus resulting in phenomena such as ectopic pregnancies.

Liquor, especially if taken in large proportions, has an effect on the female reproductive cycle and on ovulation. Regular drinking of alcohol even in moderate portions, has been proven to contribute to a longer time of conception. Alcohol interferes with hormone production and promotes changes that are not suitable for the proper functioning of the reproductive system.

2. Male Fertility:

The effect of smoking on fertility is also adverse, but it affects both male and female fertility equally. It impacts spermatogenesis, leading to a reduction in sperm concentration, sperm movement, or motility. Besides, active smoking can cause DNA alteration of spermatozoa, which in turn decreases embryo development and increases the risk of abortion. This semen quality parameter, including both the quantity and quality of seminal morphology (size, shape, and structure of sperm), is significantly affected in smokers.

It puts male fertility at risk due to hormonal imbalances, low testosterone levels, and a poor rate of sperm production. Studies show that long-time drinkers suffer from testicular atrophy due to low sperm production and poor sperm quality. Excessive alcohol consumption also affects erectile functions as well as sexual desire and this becomes a real issue for conception.

3. Long-term Effects:

These long-lasting effects may not only have an impact on the current generation but also on the next one, without regard to gender. It is believed that children of parents who smoke suffer from health and respiratory complications, and usually have certain tendencies towards substance abuse.

4. Pregnancy Risks:

This is because, whether conception or implantation does occur, alcohol presents great risks to pregnancy. This has potentially lethal consequences, including miscarriage and stillbirth, as well as non-lethal consequences such as the set of developmental abnormalities referred to as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Hypersensitive and pervasive developmental disorders result in physical, behavioral, and intellectual disabilities in children that may last a lifetime.

5. Interactions between the Effects of Smoking and. Drinking

This suggests that there are adverse effects of smoking that work against fertility, and alcohol consumption makes it worse. These two are habits that can take a toll on reproductive health one at a time, and put together, they worsen the effects on the health of the individuals involved. For instance, by smoking, the levels of certain enzymes that break down alcohol are elevated substantially, creating more toxic by-products in the body. Such products can also worsen the harm done to reproductive organs and gametes including sperm and eggs.

Dr. Mulay Hospital in Hadapsar, Pune, offers complete female infertility treatment in Hadapsar and male infertility treatment in Hadapsar patients. With advanced technology and a team of experienced specialists, the hospital provides expert care to help patients overcome fertility issues like smoking and drinking. The hospital is dedicated to helping patients achieve their dream of parenthood and provides support throughout the process.