Supervisors info:
Ζουμάκης Εμμανουήλ, Επίκουρος Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Μαστοράκος Γεώργιος, Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Κασσάνος Δημήτριος, Ομότιμος Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Summary:
Smoking is the procedure that – usually - involves tobacco leaves’ derived smoke, that is produced via pyrolysis, which is being inhaled by the main user, and finally its substances flow into the blood circulation. It is widely known by historical references that tobacco leaves had been constantly used for thousands of years, mainly by Native American Tribes, due to their believed healing proprieties as well as a part of ritual procedures.
Nowadays, smoking has become a major public health issue, concerning more than 1/7 of the world’s population, as World Health Organization states that in 2015, 1.1 billion people were recorded as smokers. Pyrolysis - derived smoke contains more than 7000 chemicals many of which are being characterized as toxic, to which the user is being rapidly and prolonged exposed.
It is being widely known that smoking ( first and second hand) is a main cause of a broad spectrum of pathological conditions and malignancies that affect many of the human organ systems including the respiratory, the circulatory and last but not least , the reproductive system.
Smoking, primarily, negatively affects male and female fertility, and leads to the use of assisted reproduction techniques. If a pregnancy is achieved, smoking has huge consequences on its evolution and final outcome, as well as the perinatal outcome, causing a range of malformations and disorders that may accompany the neonate throughout its life.
Smoking cessation is a huge step towards the amelioration of personal and public health ,and gestation is a period that is a great opportunity to take advantage of . Health care providers should encourage pregnant women who wish to quit smoking throughout the cessation by informing, counseling and sometimes choosing and prescribing the proper pharmacological therapy to support the whole procedure. To sum up, smoking cessation is a beneficial move for women, neonates and the society, as it is being considered as a positive step for a high quality public health.
Keywords:
Smoking, Fertility, Pregnancy, Fetus, Newborn
