Smoking women have a 40% higher risk of suffering from infertility compared to non-smokers, according to an alert issued today by the World Health Organization (WHO). This conclusion results from a review of studies conducted between 2000 and 2026, which demonstrated that tobacco use is associated with infertility in women, but also with harmful effects on sperm, sexual function in men and lower chances of success in fertility treatments.
WHO also noted that secondhand smoke can affect fertility, meaning that non-smoking people may also face reproductive risks. However, women who quit smoking have a 25% lower risk of infertility compared to those who continue to consume tobacco, suggesting that quitting smoking "can make a significant difference" in this matter.
Regarding men, a review of 44 studies involving more than 60 thousand participants found that smoking is associated with reproductive dysfunction, including semen abnormalities and sexual dysfunction. Smoking men are more likely to have erectile dysfunction, ejaculation problems, absence of sperm in semen, low sperm motility and abnormal sperm shape.
For people undergoing fertility treatment, smoking can reduce the chances of success, as demonstrated by 21 studies linking tobacco consumption to fewer births and pregnancies after assisted reproduction. Overall, one in six people of reproductive age will experience infertility at some point in their life. Given these data, WHO recommended that healthcare professionals inform people planning to become pregnant about the reproductive risks of tobacco consumption and provide evidence-based support to help them quit smoking.
