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Expert Q&A
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| By Traci Kurtzer Obstetrician and Gynecologist | ||
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I've heard that smoking can affect your fertility. Is this true? Can you explain how it affects both a woman and a man's fertility?
Smoking not only decreases fertility rates, it also increases the rate of miscarriage and adverse pregnancy outcomes. The mechanism in infertility and miscarriage is not understood. It may be due to either the toxicity of nicotine or to vascular changes that nicotine causes. The pregnancy complications are directly related to the adverse effects nicotine has on the placenta and the growth of the baby. The bottom line is that quitting tobacco is one of the best health and lifestyle changes an individual can make."
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