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Smoking vs women’s health

It is common knowledge that smoking can cause cancer and increase the risk of cardiac diseases. Despite all information and warning about the perils of smoking, the sad fact remains that approximately 23 million women in the US smoke cigarettes.

Author: Kevin Moshayedi

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Smoking is the most preventable cause of death in this country, yet more than 140,000 women die each year from health problems caused by smoking. The highest incidence of smoking occurs among women between twenty-five and forty-four. Women smokers face all the health hazards of smoking that men do such as increased of risk of respiratory diseases and all types of cancer - lung, mouth, larynx, pharynx, pancreas, kidney, and bladder.

Women smokers who are in the habit of using oral contraceptives risk increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases such as blood clots, heart attacks, and paralytic strokes. This risk increases with age and women over 35 years should either completely quit smoking and/or cease using oral contraceptives. Medical reports confirm that pill users suffer from a mild elevation in blood pressure. However, blood pressure often returned to normal levels once oral contraceptives are discontinued. Nonetheless all women using oral contraceptives are advised to have their blood pressure checked at least three to four times a year.

Poisonous substances in tobacco are transmitted from pregnant mothers through the blood stream to the fetus. These toxic chemicals present serious risks to both the unborn child, as well as the mother. Smoking during pregnancy is associated with premature delivery, low birth weight of the baby, early rupture of membranes, miscarriage, and even neonatal death. New born babies, whose mothers smoked during pregnancy, have the same nicotine levels in their bloodstream as adults who smoke, and they undergo withdrawal medical symptoms during their first days of life.

Children born to mothers who smoke experience more often common cold, ear aches, respiratory problems, and other illnesses requiring regular visits to the pediatrician than children born to nonsmokers. Defying medical advice, many women continue to smoke during pregnancy, knowing fully the hazards to both the smoker and the fetus. Medical reports estimate that between 12 -20% of pregnant women smoke cigarettes. The carbon monoxide from tobacco use can reduce the amount of oxygen for the developing fetus and nicotine can reduce blood flow to the uterus. Pregnant women who smoke are more likely to experience life-threatening complications of pregnancy.

Curiously, many present day women delay childbirth until they are in their thirties or even early forties. This can cause fertility problems even for nonsmoking women. But women who smoke and delay childbirth are putting themselves at a substantially higher risk of future infertility than nonsmokers. Studies reveal that chemicals in tobacco may alter the cervical fluid, making it toxic to sperm causing pregnancy to be difficult to achieve. Some of the toxic chemicals found in cigarettes may result in gene mutations that can cause miscarriage, birth defects, cancer, and other health problems in the children of smoking mothers.

The chances of pelvic inflammatory diseases are 33 percent higher in women who smoke than non-smokers. This is an extremely painful disease that requires immediate medical intervention. It is also a contributing factor for miscarriages as well as pelvic adhesions and other fertility problems. If a girl begins to smoke as a teenager, then she is susceptible to an early menopause. Women smokers begin to experience menopause symptoms two to three years earlier than nonsmokers. Menstrual problems such as scanty, arrested and painful bleeding during periods and vaginal discharges are common complaints among women who smoke.

About Author

Kevin Moshayedi is an expert author, who is presently working on the site Mental Health. He has written many articles in various topics. For more information about Diseases and Conditions and Women's Health. Visit our site medicineonline.com

Article Source: http://www.1888articles.com/author-kevin-moshayedi-12002.html

Smoking vs women’s health