Tobacco
We all know that smoking is bad for our health, including smokers. It can cause cancer, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, among others. But what about fertility? Ginefiv experts explain.
In the case of women, they may have problems in:
- Menstruation
- Fallopian tubes
- Cervix
- Ectopic pregnancies
In addition, fertility treatments have worse results in couples in which at least one of the two smokes. In fact, it could be said that smoking ages a woman’s reproductive age by 10 years. On the other hand, smoking during pregnancy can harm the baby; at birth, the baby usually weighs less and has a more stressful birth.
In the case of men, they may have problems in:
- The composition of semen
In general, couples who are trying to become pregnant should rethink smoking, especially those with unexplained infertility and for men whose sperm counts are borderline.
Drugs and alcohol
According to several studies, heavy alcohol consumption can lead to lower sperm count, lower testosterone and increased estrogen.
For women, drinking alcohol can cause irregular menstrual cycles and anovulatory periods (menstruation that occurs without ovulation). Alcohol can also increase the chances of miscarriage and can cause a number of serious birth defects, known as Fetal Alcohol Syndrome or FAS.
As for drugs, regular marijuana use can make natural fertilization of the egg more difficult, as sperm move with greater difficulty. The quantity and condition of spermatozoa also decreases.
Regarding cocaine, heroin, ecstasy, amphetamines and other drugs, besides causing or aggravating male sexual dysfunctions, by worsening the general state of health, they can damage the DNA or hereditary material of the gametes (eggs and sperm).
In general, it is best to avoid alcohol and any drugs while trying to conceive and during pregnancy.