A new scientific study has found that smoking may affect fertility in both men and women, with researchers suggesting that exposure to cigarette smoke can alter biological processes involved in the reproductive system and affect gene activity.
Scientists from the University of Nottingham and the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom studied male and female mice exposed to cigarette smoke and examined changes in their genes. The findings may help researchers better understand how smoking affects reproductive health in both sexes.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately one in six people worldwide experience infertility at some point in their lives.
Although a link between smoking and reduced fertility has previously been reported, researchers say further investigation is still needed to fully understand its effects on the reproductive system.
The study, published in the scientific journal Frontiers, exposed mice to low and high concentrations of cigarette smoke extract for 12 weeks.
According to the researchers, the findings could contribute to a better understanding of the effects of smoking on reproductive health. However, because the experiments were conducted on mice, further research is needed before the findings can be applied directly to humans.