Smoking can make it harder to have a baby and can cause problems during pregnancy, however, if you are able to quit it can make a significant difference. If you smoke or consume tobacco and want to stop, now is the absolute best time for you to quit.
How tobacco affects fertility
The American Society for Reproductive Medicine reports that people who smoke are twice as likely to struggle with infertility compared to non-smokers. The sperm of male smokers is far less likely to fertilize eggs. Smoking can also make treatments like IVF (in vitro fertilization) less effective.Women who smoke might experience menopause up to four years earlier than women who don’t.
How smoking affects pregnancy
Smoking during pregnancy can lead to serious health problems for a mother and her developing baby. Some risks of smoking during pregnancy include:
- Increased fetal heart rate
- Lower amounts of oxygen
- Placental problems
- Increased chance of miscarriage
- Stillbirth
- Premature birth
- Low birth rate
- Increased risk of baby respiratory problems
- Higher risk of birth defects
- Increased rate of SIDS
Your benefits
TIers can get free help quitting tobacco products through smokefree.gov and the quitSTART app, which help you understand your smoking patterns and build the skills you need to become and stay smoke free. TI medical plans cover 100% of tobacco cessation counseling done through an in-network medical provider and 100% of certain nicotine replacement therapies obtained with a prescription from your physician. Talk to your physician about your tobacco use and options for nicotine cessation counseling and prescription therapies. Ask HR Connect about tobacco cessation programs to
learn more.
You can get help to quit smoking through Texas Instruments by tapping the button below to get started with quitSTART.
