Smokers' sperm lower quality - harder for sperm to bind tightly to an egg

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Main Category: Fertility
Article Date: 18 Oct 2005 - 15:00 PDT

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If you are a smoker and are planning or trying to have children, it may be a good idea to give up (smoking). According to a new study funded by Philip Morris, smoker's sperm is less likely to bind tightly to the egg. The sperm has to do this for fertilization to take place.

Head researcher, Lani Burman, University of Buffalo Medical School, USA said that male fertility is seriously undermined as a result of smoking, especially heavy smokers.

Burman added that smoking affects the DNA of sperm. If a sperm has a fault, the baby inherits it. If you are a smoker, says Burman, and you are concerned about, this there are two things you can do: Firstly, give up smoking. Secondly, go to an andrology lab and have your sperm tested.

Burman presented his findings at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM).
asrm.org
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