Tobacco use can undermine fertility, UN health agency warns
The UN health agency warns that tobacco use reduces fertility in both men and women, increasing infertility risk by up to 40% and cutting IVF success rates by half.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a new publication warning that smoking significantly reduces fertility, with women who smoke facing a 40 per cent higher risk of infertility compared to non-smokers. WHO defines infertility as failing to achieve pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse, a condition that affects one in six people globally. The agency cited decades of evidence linking tobacco use to infertility in women and harm to sperm quality and sexual function in men, while also noting risks from second-hand smoke exposure.
A review of 44 studies involving more than 60,000 men found smoking linked to reproductive dysfunction, including semen abnormalities and sexual dysfunction. Men who smoke were more likely to experience erectile dysfunction, ejaculation problems, poor sperm motility, and abnormal sperm shape. The WHO also highlighted that smoking reduces the success of fertility treatments, with earlier research showing cigarette smoking cuts live birth rates and pregnancy success following assisted reproduction like IVF by roughly half.
The WHO publication suggests quitting smoking can improve fertility, noting that women who previously smoked but quit may have a 25 per cent lower risk of infertility than those who continue. The agency also warned that exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke may increase infertility risk for women by lowering the likelihood of conceiving each month they try. WHO identified risks from waterpipe smoking, while evidence on e-cigarettes and other products remains emerging, indicating potential reproductive risks that require further research.
The publication recommends healthcare providers discuss the reproductive risks of tobacco use with individuals and couples planning a pregnancy. It calls for evidence-based support to help people quit smoking, including routine brief cessation advice to tobacco users in all healthcare settings. WHO stressed that infertility is not solely a women’s issue, emphasizing the need for comprehensive reproductive health discussions.