Current smoking habits and genital infections in women

A study was undertaken to assess the relationship between current cigarette smoking and genital infections. Four hundred women attending a sexually transmitted disease clinic were the subjects of the study; of these 212 (53%) were cigarette smokers. In women under 20 years of age 70% were smokers. Women who smoked were more likely to have multiple partners and be in a lower socio-economic class or unemployed. The presence of genital warts was commoner in smokers. No association was shown between smoking and cervical inflammation or dysplasia. The findings suggest that cigarette smoking is a behavioural factor which should routinely be identified in the demographic details of women attending sexually transmitted disease clinics.