Smoking

You should absolutely stop smoking 1-2 months prior to insemination.

Smoking reduces fertility with up to 50%! 

Some women do not wish to stop smoking until pregnancy has occurred. However, it is a much better idea to stop now so that your body has time to detoxify before pregnancy occurs.

It is important that your body has as few toxins in it as possible when the baby’s brain, central nervous system and other vital organs are formed in the very first weeks of the pregnancy.   

Why quit?
Smoking is one of the largest single factors that influence a pregnancy in a negative way. Smoking causes remarkably lower birth weigh, more frequent incidents of premature birth, increased incidents of late foetal death, i.e. that the baby dies after the 28th week of pregnancy. Smoking also causes more frequent incidents of anterior placenta and loosening of the placenta, which may result in oxygen supply to the baby being partly or totally cut off.  

What about the baby?
If a woman smokes during her pregnancy she increases the risk of the baby suffering from type 2 diabetes at an early age. Overweight is also more frequent with children of mothers who smoke. The more cigarettes a day the higher the risk of obesity for the child this is probably due to a life long maladjustment in the metabolism.  

Nicotine patches and other aids
Nicotine aids may have a damaging impact on the foetus and pregnant women should therefore avoid using nicotine drugs.  

If it is not possible to stop without nicotine aids the National Board of Health, states that nicotine replacements are preferred over cigarettes. 

What should I do prior to insemination?
To reduce risk of any foetal damaging effects of nicotine aids we recommend that you phase out of your consumption some weeks before you commence your insemination process.

Remember that a partner may also support the project by quitting smoking.