IVF Success Rate Declines for Smokers

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It is well known that smoking is detrimental to your own personal health or the well-being of a developing baby, and now there is further evidence that smoking has a negative impact on the success rate of IVF treatments. In an article released April 7, 2005 in the journal Human Reproduction researchers have discovered that a woman who smokes has a 21.4% chance of spontaneous abortion as compared to a 16.4% chance for women who do not smoke.

The Netherlands study involved an evaluation of the IVF success rates for over 8,400 women. Every fertility clinic in the country participated in the study which examined a variety of reproductive and lifestyle factors. The primary results looked at the live birth outcomes for the first cycle of IVF to isolate predictive factors.

The study also identified the Body Mass Index (BMI) as a predictor of IVF success rates. Overweight women were also less likely to experience live birth success following an IVF cycle. Spontaneous abortion is more likely for women who are overweight.

The research emphasizes the significance of smoking related to infertility, noting that the effects are similar to those of age on fertility. For women who smoke, it is like adding 10 years to their fertility age. The study concluded by recommending that couples improve the probability of live birth success during IVF treatments by making important lifestyle changes.

The American Pregnancy Association concurs with the recommendations of the research in this study, noting that couples who are interested in maximizing their fertility options should make necessary lifestyle changes. sHere is a brief list of recommended lifestyle changes:

• Stop any forms of tobacco use
• Avoid alcohol and other substance use
• Exercise regularly
• Eat well balanced nutritional meals
• Take a daily multivitamin that includes the recommended doses of folic acid and other essential B vitamins

Last Updated: 05/2005

Source: Lintsen, A., Pasker-de Jong, P., de Boer, E., Burger, C., Jansen, C., Bratt, D., van Leeuwen, F., and the Omega Project Group, Human Reproduction, "Effects of Subfertility Cause, Smoking and Body weight on the Success Rate of IVF."