Beware smokers! Excess smoking and narcotic use can cause infertility

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: If medical experts are to be trusted, excess smoking and narcotic use can lead to infertility in both males and females.

Doctors claim that cigarettes do not necessarily cause infertility, they can have an adverse effect on a couple's ability to conceive. The problem exists in men as much as in females, the doctors said.

"One should avoid using tobacco (cigarettes) and marijuana. They reduce fertility, especially by reducing sperm counts. Smoking damages sperm, making them less likely to fertilise eggs. The embryos they create are less likely to survive," said Nupur Gupta, associated with the Well Women Clinic.

According to Gupta, women who smoke tobacco, marijuana and several other narcotic products may have early menopause.

Studies have also revealed that compared to non-smokers, active smokers were 14 per cent more likely to be infertile and 26 per cent more likely to have early menopause.

World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that as of 2015, India with 12 per cent of world's tobacco users, has 108 million smokers.

(With IANS inputs)