Studies have now found that the nicotine and flavorings both used within vaping devices may affect a woman’s fertility, making it more difficult for her to conceive. If you are considering in vitro fertilization, you may want to reconsider using any type of nicotine delivery system or product.
Vaping was introduced as a safer alternative to cigarettes and uses a device that allows a person to inhale vapors that have nicotine in them. To vape, a person will need a cartridge containing a form of nicotine, propylene glycol, and a battery. E-cigarettes have virtually no regulations and have now been linked to several types of lung-related deaths.
The American Heart Association makes it clear that they believe that vaping is not a safer option than smoking cigarettes. Additionally, the devices themselves have proven to be dangerous as the lithium-ion batteries that are used have a history of exploding and causing catastrophic injuries or even death.
More regulations are coming, and the federal government just announced in January 2020 the first steps towards banning some flavors of e-cigarettes in response to the vaping-related illnesses and deaths.
Many experts have touted vaping as a safer alternative to smoking. Some women, including those attempting to become pregnant, have taken that to mean that these products are completely safe for consumption. However, recent studies have shown that the nicotine and chemicals used within vaping devices and e-cigarettes can make it much more difficult for an embryo to actually implant in the uterus. The same study, published in the Journal for Endocrine Society, also indicates that vaping while pregnant can cause medical issues and developmental abnormalities in babies.
Some researchers were driven to examine if there was any link between reduced fertility and vaping after some doctors began advising and suggesting that pregnant women who smoke switch to e-cigarettes as a safer alternative. Researchers have found that the fertility of female mice drastically reduced after being exposed to e-cigarette vapors, and these effects may be even more drastic in humans. The toxicity is traced to the chemicals propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin which are the base liquids in e-cigarettes either with or without flavors.
Other harmful contaminants can also prove detrimental to fertility including nitrosamines and diethylene glycol. Ultimately, these chemicals cause physical changes such as metabolic, inflammatory, pulmonary, and neurological changes that can affect fertility. Toxins can also damage the ovarian follicles and nicotine causes damage to eggs and egg quality as they are developing.
If you plan on getting pregnant in the future, staying away from any kind of nicotine, including vaping, is wise.
Producing the best quality eggs will help in your quest to become pregnant. If you currently smoke cigarettes or use an e-cigarette or vaping devices, you may want to reconsider any form of nicotine as you attempt to add to your family. If you are considering fertility treatments, visit with us at Orange County Fertility Clinic. We would be happy to speak to you about the fertility process and your options. Call us at (949) 706-2229 or contact us today.