Effects of smoking on the sexual organs

The effects of tobacco smoke on the male body include an increased risk for:

• lower sperm count
• higher percentage of deformed sperm
• genetic damage to sperm
• impotence, which may be due to the effects of smoking on blood flow and damage to the blood vessels of the penis.

The effects of tobacco smoke on the female body include:

• reduced fertility, menstrual cycle irregularities, or absence of menstruation
• menopause reached one or two years earlier
• increased risk of cancer of the cervix
• greatly increased risk of stroke and heart attack if the person who smokes is aged over 35 years and taking the oral contraceptive pill.