Smoking and vaping can significantly affect fertility in both men and women. Studies have shown that nicotine harms reproductive health, impacting sperm quality in men and egg quality in women. While research into vaping’s effects is still developing, experts are warning that both smoking and vaping can harm fertility, advising those who want to start a family to avoid tobacco use.

Experts like Dr. Courtney D. Lynch and Dr. Theodore Wagener strongly advise quitting nicotine to boost fertility and protect reproductive health. Research underscores smoking’s negative impact on both natural and assisted conception, with similar concerns emerging for vaping.

According to Your Fertility, “Vaping may seem less harmful than smoking cigarettes, which are known to increase the chance of infertility, miscarriage, and birth defects. But there is increasing concern about the health effects of e-cigarettes, including how they might affect your fertility”.  The Guardian also reports that “research finds hormone that indicates fertility at lower levels in vapers and tobacco smokers. Women should give up vaping if they are hoping to get pregnant, according to a study that suggests it may affect fertility”.

Dr. Courtney D. Lynch from The Ohio State University emphasizes that smoking harms conception efforts, while animal studies suggest vaping may pose fertility risks. Nicotine is identified as a reproductive toxicant, affecting cilia function in the fallopian tubes and increasing the risk of ectopic pregnancies. It can also alter gene expression and degrade egg quality, potentially leading to early menopause and fertility treatment failures in women.

For men, smoking reduces sperm count and quality, damages DNA, and disrupts testosterone production, possibly resulting in erectile dysfunction. Although vaping research is limited, it may similarly affect hormone levels and fertility.

Dr. Lynch and Dr. Theodore Wagener, director of the Center for Tobacco Research, also advise quitting nicotine products to improve fertility and minimizing exposure to environmental smoke as a preventive step.

Source: Fox News