Hormonal Effects Premenstrual women achieved lower smoking reduction rates than mid-cycle or male abstainers. Interestingly, a striking similarity has been reported between symptoms of tobacco withdrawal and symptoms of menstrual discomfort. However, inconsistencies have been found regarding the effect of smoking on dysmenorrhea. Investigations into the stress-modulating effects of oral contraceptives are consistent with the position that they also decrease nicotine withdrawal symptoms. In addition, it has been suggested that gender differences in the effects of smoking may be related to pre menopause versus post menopause and the presence or absence of estrogen replacement therapy in post menopausal women.
Women gain more weight than men after quitting.
The usefulness of smoking as a weight control strategy appear to influence its initiation and maintenance into adulthood. After age 12, more smokers than nonsmokers believe that smoking helps control weight. Overweight women are more likely than other groups to report desire to control weight as a motivating factor in initiation. Moreover, women smokers are consistently more likely than men smokers to state that fear of weight gain reduces motivation to quit. Although overall withdrawal symptoms do not differ markedly between men and women, women report wanting to eat more following quitting and greater weight gain, as well as more concern about weight gain.