Publication:

Tobacco addiction and infertility in India: an overview

Tobacco addiction is one of the oldest known addictions with annual death toll of three million. And India is the second largest consumer of tobacco in the world because of easy availability of variety of smoking and smokeless tobacco products in the market.  This has made the situating very complex in India, as the same tobacco generating billions of revenues for India is also a financial burden over the health care sector. Tobacco is a risk factor for approximately 50 serious health care diseases including infertility. But it is surprising that only 22% of the general population are familiar with the reproductive risks associated with smoking. This shear ignorance has led to increase in smoking among women too. Tobacco use not only decrease fecundity and reproductive potential of the individual, but also causes relationship disharmony among the already emotional wrecked infertile couple. Though this stress might be the contributory factor towards tobacco abuse but ironically this tobacco use further escalates the financial ‘stress’ in these couples. Multiple attempts may be required during the process of quitting and the likelihood of success increases with each attempt. The ultimate key is counselling, education, and encouragement at each clinical visit.