Further, smoking may alter the DNA, or genetic material, of sperm. This DNA change has the possibly of promoting cancer, birth defects, or genetic diseases in children. Hormone levels may also be altered in male smokers as in women but studies are limited to date. Further, daughters of women who smoked during pregnancy also have been found to experience decreased fertility whether they have smoked or not when compared to non-smoking controls. The good news is that these effects of smoking appear reversible.
Studies show that ex-smokers regain normal fertility rates.
Pregnancy Women smokers can and do get pregnant. However, if a woman continues to smoke during her pregnancy, or regularly breathes second-hand smoke, the risks for the unborn baby s health, development, and growth are all increased. Smokers are more likely to have a miscarriage, spontaneous abortion during the second trimester, preterm labor and delivery or stillbirth. Women who stop smoking during the first trimester have little or no greater risk of having a low birth weight infant. Long term effects on their health may include poor growth, slightly lower intellectual performance and behavioral difficulties.