Second-hand smoke

Second-hand smoke tied to fertility problems

A new study suggests that women who have ever been around smokers regularly may have more difficulty getting pregnant than those who have not. In their studies its found that women who smoke raise their risk of a number of pregnancy complications & their infants' risk of health problems. Less is known about the dangers of second hand smoke, though some studies have linked exposure during pregnancy to an elevated risk of miscarriage. The new study, of 4,800 women, researchers found those who had grown up with a parent who smoked were more likely to report they'd had difficulty becoming pregnant defined as having to try for more than 1 year.

In addition, women who'd been exposed to second-hand smoke in both childhood and adulthood were 39% more likely to have suffered a miscarriage or stillbirth, and 68% more likely to have had problems getting pregnant.

Researcher Luke J. Peppone at the University of Rochester, New York said: "These statistics are breathtaking and certainly (point) to yet another danger of second-hand smoke exposure." He also mentioned, "We all know that cigarettes and second hand smoke are dangerous, breathing the smoke has lasting effects, especially for women when they're ready for children."

For the study of surveying from 4,804 women who'd visited the university's Roswell Park Cancer Institute between 1982 and 1998 for health screening or cancer treatment. All had been pregnant at least once in their lives. Overall, Peppone's team found 11 % of the women had difficulty becoming pregnant, while one third had a miscarriage or stillbirth.

The risk of these problems tended to climb in tandem with the number of hours per day that a woman was exposed to second hand smoke a pattern that suggests a cause effect relationship.

Second hand smoke contains a host of toxic compounds that could potentially harm a woman's reproductive health. Tobacco toxins may damage cells' genetic material, interfere with conception, raise the risk of miscarriage, or inhibit the hormones needed for conception and a successful pregnancy.