Health

Risks of Smoking For Women

We all have heard the warnings– cigarettes can cause cancer and increase our risk of heart disease. Smoking is the most preventable cause of death in this country, yet too many women die each year from smoking related causes. The highest rate of smoking (27%) occurs among women between twenty-five and forty-four. Despite all the warnings today’s teens have heard about the dangers of smoking, the reality is that almost all of the new smokers today are teenagers.

Women smokers suffer all the consequences of smoking that men do such as increased of risk various cancers (lung, mouth, larynx, pharynx, esophagus, kidney, pancreas, kidney, and bladder) and respiratory diseases, but as women we need explicit cognizance about the numerous smoking-related health risks which are uniquely ours.

Oral Contraceptives and Smoking…

Do you use oral contraceptives or another hormonal method of birth control? Women smokers who use oral contraceptives risk serious consequences including increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases such as blood clots, heart attacks, and strokes. This risk increases with age and women over 35 who smoke should not use oral contraceptives.

Pregnancy and Smoking…

Chemicals in tobacco are passed from pregnant mothers through the blood stream to the fetus. These toxic chemicals present serious risks to the unborn child, as well as the mother.
Children born to mothers who smoke experience more colds, ear aches, respiratory problems, and illnesses requiring visits to the paediatrician than children born to non-smokers.

Infertility and Smoking…

Is a baby part of your future plans? Many women today delay childbirth until they are in their thirties or even forties, which can cause fertility problems even for non-smoking women. But women who smoke and delay childbirth are putting themselves at a substantially greater risk of future infertility than non-smokers.

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) and Smoking…

Pelvic inflammatory disease occurs with 33% more frequency in smokers than in non-smokers. PID is a painful disease that requires immediate medical intervention and is often a contributing factor in ectopic pregnancies, as well as pelvic adhesions and other fertility problems.

Premature Menopause, Menstruation, and Smoking…

Beginning to smoke as a teenager increases a woman’s risk of early menopause three times. Smokers often notice symptoms of menopause two to three years earlier than non-smokers.

Menstrual problems such as abnormal bleeding, amenorrhea (absence of periods), and vaginal discharges/infections are common complaints among women who smoke.

STOP SMOKING:
Women should pick a quit date to coincide with the 2nd day after your period begins. According to “How Women Can Finally Stop Smoking” by Robert C. Klesges and Margaret DeBon, this is crucial to how you go through your quit. They said “We have preliminary evidence from our research lab that quitting past the midpoint of your cycle may seriously increase the number and severity of withdrawal symptoms. It is important to time your quit day a couple days after the start of your period.”

Photo by Masha Raymers from Pexels

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