Last updated: March 2026
Smoking and Fertility: How Cigarettes Affect Your Chances of Conceiving
If you are planning to have a baby, quitting smoking should be your first step. Research shows that cigarette use significantly impairs fertility in both women and men — and that just three months of being smoke-free can measurably improve your chances of successful conception.
How Long Before Trying to Conceive Should You Quit?
Reproductive specialists recommend quitting at least three months before trying to conceive. The reason: egg maturation takes about 90 days, and complete sperm renewal approximately 72 days. During this time, the quality of reproductive cells can measurably improve — provided the body is no longer burdened by nicotine, carbon monoxide, and thousands of other toxins.
- 1After 3 months: Egg maturation and sperm production complete without toxic exposure.
- 2After 6 months: Uterine lining blood flow and hormonal balance continue to normalize.
- 3After 12 months: Fertility approaches the level of a non-smoker.
Smoking and Female Fertility
Smoking affects virtually every aspect of female fertility. The over 7,000 chemicals in cigarette smoke damage eggs directly and disrupt hormonal balance.
- ✓Egg quality: Toxins like cadmium and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) accelerate ovarian aging. Female smokers reach menopause 1–4 years earlier on average.
- ✓Implantation: Reduced blood flow to the uterine lining decreases the chance of successful embryo implantation.
- ✓Hormonal disruption: Smoking alters estrogen and progesterone levels, potentially making ovulation irregular.
- ✓IVF success: Studies show that female smokers retrieve up to 50% fewer eggs during IVF and have lower pregnancy rates.
Smoking and Male Fertility
Male fertility also suffers significantly from smoking. The effects impact sperm count, motility, and morphology.
- ✓Sperm count: Smokers have on average 23% fewer sperm than non-smokers (meta-analysis, Sharma et al., 2016).
- ✓Motility: The ability of sperm to move purposefully toward the egg is significantly reduced in smokers.
- ✓DNA damage: Oxidative stress from smoking leads to increased DNA fragmentation in sperm, raising miscarriage risk.
- ✓Erectile dysfunction: Nicotine constricts blood vessels, which can impair erectile function — an additional factor in conception.
Quitting Together as a Couple
When both partners smoke, the negative effects on fertility multiply. However, studies also show that couples who quit together have significantly higher success rates — and improve their chances of pregnancy faster.
- ✓Shared motivation: A common goal — your future baby — provides powerful motivation.
- ✓Mutual support: One partner can help the other through weak moments.
- ✓Smoke-free environment: When nobody in the household smokes, there are fewer triggers and temptations.
- ✓Avoiding secondhand smoke: Passive smoking also harms fertility — a smoke-free home protects both partners.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long before trying to conceive should you quit smoking?
At least three months, ideally six to twelve months. Egg and sperm maturation takes approximately 90 days — during this period, reproductive cells already benefit from being toxin-free.
Does secondhand smoke affect fertility?
Yes, significantly. Secondhand smoke contains the same fertility-damaging toxins as active smoking. Women regularly exposed to passive smoke have demonstrably lower conception rates.
Does fertility recover after quitting?
Yes. After just three months, sperm quality and egg maturation measurably improve. After one year, fertility approaches non-smoker levels — provided no irreversible damage has occurred.
"Smoking is one of the most preventable causes of subfertility in both men and women."
Your Body Can Recover — Start Now
Discover how your health improves hour by hour, day by day after quitting — and begin your journey to parenthood.
Sources: Sharma, R. et al. (2016): "Cigarette Smoking and Semen Quality", European Urology, 70(4), 635–645. Practice Committee ASRM (2018): "Smoking and Infertility", Fertility and Sterility, 110(4), 611–618. Freour, T. et al. (2008): "Active smoking compromises IVF outcome", Reproductive BioMedicine Online, 16(1), 96–102.