The Effect of Smoking on Women

Smoking causes many health problems in women. It leads to irreparable damage to women's health and to that of the people around them. A smoking habit may be difficult to break, but understanding the long-term damage may help overcome the addiction.

• Smoking negatively affects your health.

Significance

• According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 178,000 women in the United States die every year because of smoking related-diseases, and one out of six women in the United States aged 18 or older is a smoker (Reference 4).

Effects

• Women who smoke have higher risks than nonsmokers of early death and of developing cancer and other diseases related to the heart and lungs, according to the National Cancer Institute. Additionally, women who smoke may experience early menopause and irregular, painful menstrual periods (Reference 2).

  According to a study by Inga-Cecilie Soerheim and her colleagues from the University of Bergen, Norway, cigarette smoking is more harmful to women than to men because women have smaller airways (Reference 1).

  Health-cares.net notes that smoking may affect a woman's fertility (Reference 3). Smoking also lessens bone density, which means that women who smoke are more likely to experience fractures than those who do not (Reference 2).

Considerations

• Smoking is hazardous for pregnant women. It affects the health of not only the mother but also the child. Smoking during pregnancy may result in low birth weight, premature delivery and miscarriage (Reference 3).

  Smoking is also not advisable for those who are taking oral contraceptives because it increases the risk of stroke and heart attack in this group (Reference 3).

Prevention/Solution

• The National Cancer Institute's "Smoking Quitline" was established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to help men and women alike overcome cigarette-smoking addiction. The wide range of services offered includes individualized counseling, recorded messages, referrals to other helpful sources and printed information (Reference 2).

Benefits of Quitting Smoking

• Quitting smoking brings immediate benefits to the body, the National Cancer Institute further explains. In fact, after a few hours of not smoking, the level of carbon monoxide in the body decreases. Cessation also normalizes the blood pressure and heart rate. After several months, major improvements in the lung function should be expected (Reference 2).