The Danger of Smoking for Reproductive Health

The Danger of Smoking for Reproductive Health

The number of smokers in Indonesia is quite high. Based on data from the 2020 National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN), the prevalence of smokers in Indonesia is around 35.6% of the adult population (age 15 and over). This places Indonesia as one of the countries with the highest smoking prevalence rate in the world. In addition, the number of active smokers in Indonesia is also quite large, with an estimated number of around 57 million people. Are there any of you who still smoke?

Besides being at risk of causing lung cancer, smoking also affects reproductive health!

Let's stop smoking before the above problems occur, especially for those of you who are already married. Because both active and passive smokers can be at risk of fertility problems that affect not only women but also men,

The following are the dangers of smoking for reproductive health:
Decreased Sperm Quality
If the sperm is of good quality, it is more likely to have children faster. But unfortunately, if the sperm decreases or has poor quality, it will be more difficult to have a baby. This is because inhaled cigarette smoke can make sperm quality worse. So for those of you who are planning to do a pregnancy program, you should avoid smoking, whether you are an active smoker or a passive smoker.

Sperm's Ability to Swim Has decreased.
The harmful content of cigarette smoke that has been absorbed by the body can make sperm's ability worse because sperm cannot swim properly. Thus, the sperm will experience difficulties when trying to reach the egg. The higher the sperm's ability to swim, the greater the chance for fertilization. This also applies vice versa, namely, if the sperm's ability to swim has decreased, the chances of getting pregnant or fertilization are also smaller.

Sperm Movement Becomes Interrupted
In addition to decreasing sperm quality, the adverse effects of smoking will also affect the movement of impaired sperm. While the sperm will move from the fallopian tube to the uterus. This means that if there are no eggs in the uterus, it will be much more difficult to experience fertilization.

Can Damage DNA
Even if fertilization has occurred, that does not mean smoking does not have a bad impact. Because the effects of smoking do not only stop in the process of conception. However, the chemicals contained in cigarettes can damage DNA when fertilization has occurred. When the DNA of egg and sperm cells is damaged, it will be difficult for fertilization to occur. Even though fertilization has occurred, the risk of miscarriage is higher.

Erectile Dysfunction
Erectile dysfunction can occur in men, where men have difficulty maintaining or having an erection. The bad impact of erectile dysfunction stems from bad habits that are often practiced, such as smoking. If men continue to smoke, conception will become more difficult.

Damaged Hormonal Balance
Hormonal balance can be damaged because of the chemicals contained in cigarettes. These chemicals enter the bloodstream through smoke. So if this is allowed to continue, it will affect the hormones of both women and men. When the body's hormones are disrupted, the body's reproductive system will also experience disturbances.

Early Menopause
Women who smoke will experience menopause earlier; this means that women will lose their eggs more quickly, so the chances of getting pregnant are very small. If you want the presence of a baby, it is highly recommended to improve your lifestyle, one of which is avoiding cigarette smoke.

The bad effects caused by cigarette smoke like the one above can be used as motivation to be able to stop smoking from now on. Apart from avoiding interference with fertility, avoiding smoking will also protect you from various other dangerous diseases.