Recent cigarette smoking and assisted reproductive technologies outcome

Area of Science:

• Reproductive medicine
• Environmental health
• Clinical research

Background:

• Assisted reproduction technology (ART) success can be influenced by lifestyle factors.
• Cigarette smoking (CS) is a known risk factor for adverse health outcomes.
• The specific impact of recent parental smoking on ART outcomes requires further clarification.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between recent cigarette smoking (CS) in female and male partners and assisted reproduction technology (ART) outcomes.
• To evaluate the effect of female smoking on egg retrieval and implantation rates.
• To determine the impact of male smoking on live birth rates.

Main Methods:

• Prospective cohort study involving 166 couples undergoing ART at a university program in Chile.
• Female smoking status assessed via follicular fluid (FF) and serum cotinine levels.
• Male smoking status determined through self-reported data via personal interviews.

Main Results:

• Increased FF cotinine levels in females were significantly associated with a decreased number of ova retrieved.
• Male partner's recent smoking habit was linked to a significant reduction in live birth rates (from 21.1% to 7.8%).
• Serum cotinine levels in females correlated with FF cotinine levels.

Conclusions:

• Recent female smoking is associated with a reduced number of retrieved oocytes but does not negatively impact implantation rates.
• Recent male smoking significantly decreases live birth rates in ART, even after adjusting for confounding factors.
• These findings highlight the detrimental effects of parental smoking on fertility treatments.