- By Bornika Das
- Fri, 13 Jun 2025 08:07 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
When we talk about the dangers of smoking, the conversation often stops at the lungs, heart or risk of cancer. But there’s a silent side to tobacco use that doesn’t get enough attention, its damaging impact on a woman’s reproductive health. Cigarettes don’t just cloud the lungs; they quietly disrupt the hormones and biological processes vital for fertility. Many women, especially in their 20s and 30s, may not realise that even occasional smoking can harm egg quality, reduce ovarian reserve, and significantly lower the chances of natural conception.
The harmful chemicals that poison the lungs and bloodstream travel through the body, leading to hormonal imbalance and disrupting normal reproductive functioning, putting fertility at risk. Even occasional smoking in the 20s and 30s, when reproductive health is typically at its peak, can compromise the quality of the egg and reduce the chances of conceiving naturally. Research suggests that women who smoke are at a 40–60 per cent higher risk of infertility compared to those who don’t. In conversation with The Daily Jagran, Dr. Lipsa Mishra, Fertility Specialist, Birla Fertility & IVF, Bhubaneswar, shares how smoking can risk the fertility of women.
Smoking Affects More Than The Lungs
Nicotine, the main harmful substance in tobacco, directly interferes with how hormones work in the body. Dr. Lipsa Mishra states, “For women, the presence of excess nicotine in the body often means a drop in oestrogen levels.” This eventually disrupts the ovulation cycle and compromises the egg quality and quantity. “Smoking also accelerates the loss of eggs, affects the uterus’ ability to support a pregnancy, and even makes fertility treatments like IVF less effective,” she adds.
ALSO READ: Does Smoking Affect Women Differently Than Men? Know From Doctor
Tobacco use can cause a 20 per cent drop in ovarian reserve, meaning fewer eggs and a higher chance that the remaining ones may not be healthy. It also increases the risk of irregular periods, early menopause, and premature ovarian insufficiency – a condition where the ovaries stop working before the age of 40.
How Smoking Affects Pregnancy
Women who smoke are also more likely to face issues like miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, and implantation failure during fertility treatments. Dr. Lipsa Mishra mentions, “The ill-effects of smoking on a woman’s health don’t stop there. Smoking increases the risk of hormone-related health problems like breast cancer, osteoporosis, and type 2 diabetes as well.”
The most dangerous aspect is that even exposure to second-hand smoke can harm fertility by lowering egg quality and disrupting hormonal balance.
Smoking Affects Pregnancy (Image Credits: Canva)
When Body Wants To Heal
Here’s the part most people don’t hear often: reproductive health can improve once you quit tobacco. Quitting smoking helps restore hormonal balance, enhance egg quality, and promote regular menstrual cycles. In some cases, these changes begin within just a few months. Over time, your body can reverse significant damage caused by tobacco.
ALSO READ: 7 Lesser-Known Ways Tobacco Affects Your Body Beyond Lungs| Insights From Doctor
If you’re planning a family or even just thinking about it for the future, quitting tobacco is one of the most powerful steps you can take today. Just like your lungs, your eggs too deserve a chance to breathe easily.