Smoking And Sperm Quality

 "Smoking reduces fertility in men," "Smoking causes impotence" and "Smoking damages sperm '.

It has been proven that smoking is one of the most common causes of infertility in male smokers, both in relation to the quality of the seed and sexual function. But this must be added the impact on fertility of their children can have the fact that a woman smokes during pregnancy.

In principle, the use of tobacco is associated with a decrease of the fundamental criteria that determine male fertility: semen volume, count, motility and morphology of sperm. While it is not known precisely the mechanisms by which the components of tobacco smoke affect spermatogenesis, or which of them are the ones that affect the quality of sperm. But what is known as a result of studies carried out is that smoking reduces the production of estrone and estradiol, two types of estrogen are secreted in the testes and whose function is simply to avoid the death of the sperm cells, thus negatively affects the count and sperm motility.

In this regard, a study at the University of Saarland (Germany) has recently been shown that men who smoke more than a pack a day are 14% less than non-smokers protamine. Protamine is a protein essential for the formation of sperm, so their decline directly affects the quality of sperm.

Smoking And Sperm Quality

What studies today it is about the effect of passive smoking on male fertility. However, in view of which were made in relation to diseases like cancer, it is expected that passive smokers also see reduced sperm quality due to continuous exposure to tobacco smoke.

A final problem is not resolved is whether to exit are not recovered or semen quality once smokers quit smoking and, if so, how long will recover.

The children of smoking

Another aspect that influences male fertility in relation to smoking is the son of a smoking woman who kept smoking during pregnancy, especially during the first quarter, in the formation of the sexual organs of the fetus period. Keep in mind that one in eight pregnant women smoke during pregnancy.

A recent study conducted at the University of Copenhagen (Denmark) noted when analyzing the embryos of women who had abortions legally smoking had '55% less germ cells (which form the sperm and eggs) and 37% less somatic cells (from other parts of the body are formed). In addition to reducing the amount of both types of cells it is directly related to the number of cigarettes smoked per day. And this effect occurs with greater intensity in males than in females.

The main conclusion is that children born to women who smoke, having a smaller number of germ cells to be affected fertility, and it is unknown whether the time may regain full functionality of the testes.