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How can smoking reduce fertility in men?
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infertility
Major structures and hormones involved in the initiation of pregnancy. Also seen, at right, is the development of an egg cell (ovum) from follicle to embryo.
Smoking significantly impairs reproductive health by introducing hundreds of toxic substances into the body, which have well-documented negative effects on health.1
In the context of male fertility, smoking adversely affects the reproductive process by interfering with the production of sperm. Normal fertility relies on the generation of a sufficient number of healthy, motile sperm; when this production is disrupted by the toxins found in cigarette smoke, it can lead to a reduced capacity to conceive.1
While male infertility can also stem from other factors—such as varicocele, testicular injury, or anatomical abnormalities—smoking remains a notable lifestyle factor that can have deleterious effects on overall reproductive capacity.21