How Smoking Impacts Male Fertility
The team here at Heartland Center provides men and women in the greater Omaha area with expert care and guidance through numerous fertility challenges. We offer advanced male and female fertility treatments, with a focus on efficiency and success.
In some cases, however, improving your overall health and lifestyle can make a difference with regard to your ability to conceive. It's with this in mind that we'd like to consider how smoking can contribute to male factor infertility.
Smoking Has Many Adverse Effects on Wellness
If you are a smoker, you probably know already that smoking can have a major impact on your overall wellness. The warnings have been known for years. Smokers face an increased risk of heart disease, lung disease, hypertension, and developing certain cancers. In addition, smoking is linked to an increased risk in infection.
It should come as no surprise, then, that smokers are also more likely to experience issues with fertility as a result of their bad habit.
Delays in Conception When Couples Smoke
When couples that smoke or have one smoker attempt to conceive through natural means, studies have found that successful pregnancy can take longer to achieve. This also applies to couples who are undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF).
Smoking and Sperm Count
Smoking can have a negative impact on a man's sperm count. With fewer sperm, successful conception is less likely. According to a analysis of multiple studies involving men who are fertile and smokers, they heave roughly 23 percent fewer sperm when they ejaculate.
Smoking and Sperm Motility
Apart from sperm count, sperm motility is also important to consider. This refers to the ability for the sperm to move around and swim. From the same analysis of studies above, researchers found that men who smoke have a 13 percent decrease in overall sperm motility.
Smoking and Sperm Shape
Sperm shape (also known as sperm morphology) can also be negatively impacted by smoking. In this case, a sperm may have a shorter or elongated tail, a poorly formed head, or other kinds of serious problems. These can lead to issues with motility as well as increasing risk of birth defects.
Smoking and Erectile Dysfunction
Smoking has been linked to erectile dysfunction in many men given how cigarettes can affect the circulation of blood in the body. Some studies suggest male smokers are twice as likely to suffer from ED than non-smokers.
Kicking the Habit
As you can see, kicking the habit is the best way for you to restore fertility and to help ensure that your child is healthy. With regard to ED alone, up to three-quarters of smokers who quit were able to achieve and maintain erections again.
Quitting can be a challenge, and your general practitioner can help direct you to resources and support groups that can assist you in achieving a healthier and better lifestyle in the future.
Seeking Help from Fertility Specialists
If kicking the habit still doesn't improve your chances of fathering a child, rest assured that our team of fertility specialists have a number of treatment options that can help you.
Schedule a Consultation at Heartland Center
For more information about treating infertility and helping you start the family that you have always wanted to have, be sure to contact our fertility treatment specialists today. The team at Heartland Center will work with you and offer expert advice on all of your options.
