WIN Fertility Center July 23, 2022by dr. Pande Made Doddy Haryadi, S.Ked.
Smoking and vaping can affect your reproductive health, and can even lead to infertility.[1] In Indonesia alone, in 2021 there are at least 28.9% of the Indonesian population who are active smokers.[2] Cigarettes and vape contain nicotine, which affects the overall health of sperm and egg cells. If you or someone you know is trying to conceive smokes, many medical difficulties and disorders can occur later.[1,3]
Infertility itself is a fertility disorder characterized by the failure to conceive after more than 12 months, even though you have had regular unprotected intercourse.[4]
OF SMOKING AND VAPING
Smoking and vaping exposes you to a myriad of health problems to begin with. Even the process itself can affect almost every organ in the body. Here are some of the risks of smoking in general:[5]
- Heightened risk of developing heart and blood vessel disease.
- Increased the risk of stroke.
- Triggering metabolic disorders.
- Various lung disorders.
- Smoking or vaping before, during, and after pregnancy can harm the developing little one.
Smoking and vaping, by themselves, are also especially bad for parents or conceiving couples’ fertility, causing things such as:[1,3,6,7]
- Free radicals in the body and damage to your reproductive organs
- Decrease in the quality of the father’s sperm
- Disruption to the quality of the mother’s egg cells
- May even affect the fertility of the growing fetus
QUITTING SMOKING
Quitting smoking is a challenging thing to do. In 2015, 70% of adult smokers said they wanted to quit. In 2016, 55% of adult smokers had tried to quit smoking over the past year, with only 8% successfully quitting within 6-12 months. While it may take several attempts to quit smoking for good, remember that even small successes are wins. For example, you may find that when you try to quit again, you can go longer without cigarettes/vapes or you may find that exercise works well to prevent and reduce cravings. Whenever you try to quit smoking, remember, there is a process that goes into calling it a goal to be an “ex-smoker”.[8]
It’s a good idea to talk to your doctor about your plan to quit smoking as your doctor may have advice on how to quit smoking that is best for your situation. However, there are a few things to keep in mind during the first few days after quitting smoking. You may be afflicted with disturbed sleep, irritability, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and increased appetite for a while. Although uncomfortable, these symptoms should only last a few weeks. One other thing to note as you embark on your journey to being ex-smokers is that some situations you often took on as smokers, such as having a coffee, going out with friends, or a particularly stressful event, can bring on urges to smoke even after several months of quitting. Paying attention to these situations and making plans to divert your desire to smoke can help lead a truly smoke-free life.[8]
Quitting smoking is possible, and every attempt is worth it.
If you are planning to have a check-up for long term childlessness and have a history of smoking and vaping before or even still do until now, you can make a reservation in advance on the Sobat Bunda application. By downloading the application and making a reservation at Sobat Bunda, you can find out the estimated queue time or turn to enter the examination, so that you do not have to wait long at the hospital.