WHO: Smoking may reduce chances of having a child

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Tobacco smoking may reduce the chances of conception and negatively affect reproductive health in both women and men, according to a new information review by the World Health Organization (WHO).

According to data cited in the publication, tobacco use is associated with infertility in women, poorer sperm quality and sexual dysfunction in men. Smoking may also reduce the chances of successful outcomes from some infertility treatments. Potential reproductive risks also exist when non-smokers are exposed to tobacco smoke.

WHO notes that infertility affects one in six people of reproductive age worldwide at some point in their lives. The organization defines infertility as the absence of pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular sexual intercourse without contraception.

Research conducted over several decades points to the negative effects of smoking on women’s reproductive health. A systematic review of studies conducted from 2000 to 2026 found that women who currently smoke tobacco have a 40% higher risk of infertility compared with non-smokers.

At the same time, women who have quit smoking may have a 25% lower risk of infertility than those who continue to smoke. WHO considers these findings to indicate that smoking cessation may have significant potential benefits for reproductive health.

The issue also affects men. A review of 44 studies involving more than 60,000 men found an association between smoking and impaired reproductive function. In particular, male smokers more frequently experience erectile dysfunction and problems with ejaculation, as well as changes in sperm parameters, including the absence of sperm in semen, reduced sperm motility and changes in sperm morphology.

Smoking may also affect the outcomes of infertility treatment. According to an earlier analysis of 21 studies, cigarette smoking is associated with fewer pregnancies and live births following the use of assisted reproductive technologies, including in vitro fertilization. The findings indicate that smoking may approximately halve the chances of a successful treatment outcome.

WHO also pays particular attention to passive smoking. Women exposed to tobacco smoke from people around them may face an increased risk of infertility and a lower chance of conception during each month of trying to become pregnant.

At the same time, scientific evidence on newer products, including electronic cigarettes, hookahs and smokeless tobacco, continues to accumulate. The strongest evidence to date concerns cigarette smoking, but WHO notes that other tobacco and nicotine products may also pose risks to fertility and require further study.

WHO recommends that healthcare professionals inform people and couples planning a pregnancy about the reproductive risks associated with tobacco use and offer evidence-based assistance with smoking cessation.

The organization also recommends routinely providing tobacco users with brief advice on quitting in all healthcare settings.