There are a couple of smoking effects on a woman’s body that it’s vital to know for women who are planning a pregnancy.

1. Women who continue to smoke close to the time of conception take significantly longer to become pregnant than women who have never smoked or stop smoking before the year during which they attempt to conceive.
2. Women who are excessive smokers are at risk of early infertility, as the number of possible eggs decrease. Chemicals in cigarette smoke speed up the loss rate of eggs. Once eggs die off, they cannot regenerate or be replaced. This means that menopause occurs 1 to 4 years earlier in women who smoke.
3. Smoking is a risk factor for ectopic pregnancy. Ectopic pregnancy is when the fetus starts to develop outside the uterus, most commonly in the fallopian tube where it will not survive, and it is dangerous for the mother.
4. Women who smoke are more likely to have miscarriages during pregnancy. Every cigarette smoked increases the risk of miscarriage by one percent.
5. Stillbirth. According to the findings of a Danish institute, smoking poses an increased risk of stillbirth after maternal smoking.

How to quit smoking

Research has shown simply quitting is not enough to eliminate the risks associated with exposure to cigarettes. Many women are exposed to second-hand smoke from friends and family members or the residue cigarettes leave behind.  These types of indirect contact with cigarettes can also have detrimental effects on your health.

• If you're not pregnant yet, choose a quit date that works for you. If you are pregnant, stop smoking right away. If you can't stop yet, try to cut down as much as you can. Talk to your doctor about a program that can help you stop smoking.

• Get rid of your cigarettes, ashtrays, and lighters. Clean your house and clothes to get rid of the smoke smell.

• If you live with someone who smokes, discuss quitting together. If this is not an option, talk to the person(s) about not smoking around you. When you can, avoid places where others are smoking.

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