Effect of hookah (water pipe) smoking on semen parameters

Hookah (water pipe) smoking, an old method of tobacco smoking, is regaining widespread popularity all over the world. Although the research in this field is still deficient, it has been proven for its harmful effect on human's health by increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease, infection and lung, oral and bladder cancer (Al-Numair et al., J Food Agric Environ, 5: 17, 2007; Bou Fakhreddine et al., Respir Med, 108: 1241-1253, 2014; Chaouachi, J Negat Results Biomed, 5: 17, 2006). However, no research was found to address its effect on human fertility or reproductive outcome. In this cross-sectional study, we aim to explore the effect of smoking hookah on human semen parameters among men attending In Vitro Fertilization LABs for seminal fluid analysis testing. 104 patients aged between 25 and 45, who are noncigarette smokers and have no chronic medical illness, were enrolled in the study: 50 hookah nonsmokers and 54 hookah smokers. Their semen parameters were compared. Semen volume, normal morphology and progressive motility were slightly lower in the hookah smoker (3.21 ml; 10.2%; 29.56%) versus (3.45 ml; 11.5%; 33.20%), respectively, in nonhookah smokers; however, the difference was not statistically significant. The effect of hookah smoking on semen observed in our study was not statistically significant. Further studies are needed to explore more and confirm any unfavourable effect.