Cigarette Smoke May Affect Fertility

Smoking may provide an explanation for reduced fertility, results of two studies suggested.

The first, by Claus Yding Andersen, MD, of the University of Copenhagen, and colleagues, found significant reductions in germ and somatic cells in the testes of male embryos from mothers who smoked during pregnancy, possibly related to the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons found in cigarette smoke.

"This effect may have long-term consequences on the future fertility of exposed offspring," the authors wrote online in Human Reproduction.

http://www.medpagetoday.com/PrimaryCare/Smoking/22069

Primary source: Human Reproduction
Source reference:
Mamsen L, et al "Cigarette smoking during early pregnancy reduces the number of embryonic germ and somatic cells" Hum Reprod 2010; DOI: 10.1093/humrep/deq215.

Additional source: Human Reproduction
Source reference:
Hammadeh M, et al "Protamine contents and P1/P2 ratio in human spermatozoa from smokers and non-smokers" Hum Reprod 2010; DOI: 10.1093/humrep/deq226.