Smoking: The Women's Health Perspective

Pregnancy and Smoking

Chemicals in tobacco are passed from pregnant mothers through the blood stream to the fetus. These toxic chemicals present serious risks to the unborn child, as well as the mother. According to "Our Bodies, Ourselves for the New Century," by the Boston Women's Health Book Collective, "Smoking during pregnancy is associated with preterm delivery, low birthweight, premature rupture of membranes, placenta previa, miscarriage, and neonatal death. New borns whose mothers smoked during pregnancy have the same nicotine levels in their bloodstream's as adults who smoke, and they go through withdrawal during their first days of life."

Children born to mothers who smoke experience more colds, ear aches, respiratory problems, and illnesses requiring visits to the pediatrician than children born to nonsmokers.

Infertility and Smoking

Is a baby part of your future plans? Many women today delay childbirth until they are in their thirties or even forties, which can cause fertility problems even for nonsmoking women. But women who smoke and delay childbirth are putting themselves at a substantially greater risk of future infertility than nonsmokers.

The fact is women smokers have around 72 percent of the fertility of nonsmokers. When all other factors are equal, it is 3.4 times more likely that smokers will require over one year to conceive.

Increasingly, studies are showing that decreased ovulatory response, as well as the fertilization and implantation of the zygote may be impaired in women who smoke. Thought is also given that chemicals in tobacco may alter the cervical fluid, making it toxic to sperm causing pregnancy to be difficult to achieve.

We can't leave the men out on this one, though. Men smokers are 50 percent more likely to become impotent. Some of the toxic chemicals found in cigarettes may result in gene mutations that can cause miscarriage, birth defects, cancer, and other health problems in their children.

Premature Menopause, Menstruation, and Smoking

Beginning to smoke as a teenager increases a woman's risk of early menopause three times. Smokers often notice symptoms of menopause two to three years earlier than nonsmokers.

Menstrual problems such as abnormal bleeding, amenorrhea (absence of periods), and vaginal discharges/infections are common complaints among women who smoke.

Menstrual abnormalities and early menopause may be caused by a toxic effect on the ovaries or by the significantly lower levels of estrogens noted in many studies of women smokers.

Breast Cancer and Smoking

The American Cancer Society published the results of a study in 1994 which indicated that breast cancer patients who smoke may increase their risk of dying at least 25 percent--a risk that increases with the number of cigarettes smokes per day. The possible risk of fatal breast cancer rises up to 75 percent for women who smoke two packs or more per day.

The good news is that if you quit now your potential risk of dying as a result of future breast cancer remains the same as for a nonsmoker.

Tips for Quitting Smoking

• Plan ahead to quit smoking on a certain day. When your quit smoking day arrives, make sure you have thrown out all the ashtrays and cigarettes you have in your home, so you won't be tempted.
  
  
• Have plenty of raw vegetables such as carrot sticks, celery, ect. available for the times you feel like eating as a result of your desire to have something in your hand/mouth.
  
  
• Many women fear gaining weight as a result of quitting smoking. Participating in a vigorous exercise program three times per week may help you quit and exercise helps reduce any subsequent weight gain, as well as providing overall health benefits.
  
  
• Joining a support group and actively participating often helps women when difficult times or emotional conflicts occur. About.com's Christine Rowley Smoking Cessation Guide shows you "How to Quit Smoking," and offers support through forums, chats, and email. Her site features a daily tips for quiting smoking section, and many other useful tools and articles designed to help make you an exsmoker.
  
  
• Over-the-counter methods that supply nicotine in forms such as gums like Nicorette and patches, such as the Nicoderm C Q patch, help many people decrease the physical symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. Never smoke simultaneously with one of these methods--nicotine overdose may occur.
  
  
• See your physician if you need further assistance achieving your quit smoking goal. He can offer additional methods which are available by prescription.