IVF Threatened by Secondhand Smoke

A new study found that women hoping toconceive through in vitro fertilization (IVF)should avoid secondhand smoke. The studyfound that secondhand smoke is just as powerfulas direct smoking in hampering IVF success.Researchers studied the quality ofembryos and implantation rates of 225women who were either smokers, nonsmokers(not exposed to smoke), or "side-stream"smokers (nonsmoking women who lived withsmokers). Although all 3 groups showed nodifferences in the quality of embryos, differenceswere noted in pregnancy and implantationrates between those exposed tosmoke and those who avoided it. The rate ofsuccessful pregnancy in nonsmokers was~48%, while those exposed to smoke,whether direct or indirect, had a success rateof 19% to 20%. The researchers added thatnonsmokers achieved a 25% implantationrate; both groups exposed to smoke had arate of only 12%.