Women seem to face more risks from smoking. They are exposed to all the known health risks that men face such as cancers of the lung, throat, mouth and larynx, heart and circulatory diseases. However, they have to deal with unique situations as well.
Women who smoke could have fertility issues and problems while giving birth. It has been reported that smokers will generally take over a year to conceive in comparison to nonsmokers. Published reports suggest that the fertilization process in smokers can be impaired.
Babies of smokers are more likely to develop colds, allergies and respiratory illnesses than babies of nonsmokers. These babies may be born prematurely and even when they are full term, babies of smokers tend to be of low birth weight which can have health implications.
Women who use birth control also face certain dangers from smoking. Many ads for birth control products warn that women who smoke may be at increased risks of certain conditions such as blood clots and stroke. According to some of these ads, the danger increases after age 35.
Pre and post-menopausal women also have increased risks of some health conditions if they are smokers. Osteoporosis, bone density loss among older women, can be compounded by smoking. Female smokers lose more bone density than nonsmokers especially as they reach menopause.
It would seem that the cards are stacked against women smokers. The health risks discussed are just a few of the the known dangers when it comes to women and smoking. Thankfully, there are now many ways for women to get help to quit smoking.
