Influence of cigarette smoking on semen quality in male infertility patients

AIM: To study the influence of cigarette smoking on the sperm quality. METHODS: Sperm samples were obtained from 395 cigarette smokers (smoking group) and 202 nonsmokers (nonsmoking group) in 597 male infertility patients to compare some sperm parameters between the two groups. RESULTS: The number of sperm with normal morphology, sperm density and sperm vitality in smokers decreased significantly compared with those in nonsmokers (P0.01, P0.05, P0.01). The sperm density of subjects with smoking history10 a decreased compared with that of subjects with smoking history10 a (P0.05). Smoking amount, The sperm vitality and density of subjects smoking cigarettes20/d deceased compared with those of subjects smoking cigarettes 20/d (P0.05). Smoking habits, total annual smoking packs and depth of inhalation were associated with decreased sperm quality. CONCLUSION: Cigarette smoking is possibly associated with decreased sperm quality. Moderate, heavy and long-term smoking adversely will affect the semen quality.