Does IVF Smoking Cause Embryo Cessation?
IVF is a way to help couples who cannot conceive naturally to realize their reproductive dreams through assisted reproductive technology. However, one of the couples may not be able to quit smoking, which raises the question: will smoking in IVF lead to embryo termination? This article will elaborate on this issue from four aspects: physiology, research, hospital practice and medical experts' views.
Physiological aspects
Smoking contains a lot of harmful substances, including nicotine, carbon monoxide and other chemicals harmful to health. These substances will enter the female uterus through the blood and affect the development of the embryo. Nicotine will shrink blood vessels, resulting in poor blood circulation in the uterus, reducing the nutrients and oxygen obtained by the embryo. Carbon monoxide will combine with hemoglobin, reducing the ability of blood to transport oxygen, thus affecting the normal development of embryos. These physiological effects may increase the risk of embryo termination.
In addition, smoking will also make women's ovarian function decline, affect the development of follicles and ovulation, and reduce the pregnancy rate. For men, smoking will also lead to a decline in the number and vitality of sperm, thus affecting the fertilization process. Therefore, the success rate of IVF embryos may be reduced by smoking.
Research
Many studies have explored the relationship between smoking and IVF embryo termination. A study published in the Journal of Ovarian Development and Embryology found that the embryo implantation rate and pregnancy rate of women who smoked within 24 hours before IVF embryo transfer were significantly lower than those of non-smokers. Another study published in Human Reproductive Science found that women who smoke have poor ovarian response in the IVF cycle, and the number of follicles is reduced, resulting in difficulties in pregnancy.
These studies provide scientific evidence for the relationship between smoking and IVF embryo termination, and support the view that smoking will have a negative impact on embryonic development.
Hospital Practice
Many IVF hospitals will consult patients about smoking before IVF, and emphasize the potential harm of smoking to IVF. For example, London Hatfield Fertility Center emphasized on its official website that smoking has a significant negative impact on the success rate of IVF, and recommended that patients stop smoking at least three months before receiving IVF. Similar suggestions are also common in IVF hospitals around the world.
This hospital practice shows that smoking will be regarded as a taboo behavior of IVF. IVF experts generally believe that smoking may lead to embryo termination, so they strongly recommend patients to quit smoking to improve the success rate of IVF.
Medical expert opinion
Medical experts agree that smoking has a negative impact on the success rate of IVF. For example, Francino, an American test tube baby expert, claimed that smoking would cause mutations in the genetic material of the embryo, thus increasing the risk of embryo termination. Jocelyn, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology in Birmingham, UK, pointed out that smoking reduced the quality of eggs and sperm, which seriously affected the development of embryos. Therefore, smoking cessation is critical to the success of IVF.
In conclusion, smoking in IVF may lead to embryo termination. Physiologically, smoking will affect the uterine blood circulation and reduce the nutrients and oxygen obtained by the embryo; The results also support the relationship between smoking and IVF embryo termination; Many hospitals also regard smoking as a taboo behavior of IVF in practice; Medical experts agree that smoking will have a negative impact on the success rate of IVF. Therefore, smoking cessation is a very important measure for the risk of IVF embryo termination.
