Health Treasure

 

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Are women who smoke at increased risk of health problems?

Yes. Women and men who smoke are at increased risk of developing cancer, heart disease, and lung disease and of dying prematurely

A pregnant smoker is at higher risk of having her baby born too early and with an abnormally low weight. A woman who smokes during or after pregnancy increases her infant’s risk of death from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) In addition, some studies suggest that women who smoke are more likely to experience irregular or painful periods. Smokers are more likely than non-smokers to go through menopause at a younger age. Women who smoke after menopause have lower bone density and a higher risk of hip fracture than do women who don’t smoke

Does smoking increase cancer risk in women?

Yes. Smoking causes cancers of the lung, esophagus, larynx (voice box), mouth, throat, kidney, bladder, pancreas, stomach, and cervix, as well as acute myeloid leukemia (2). In 1987, lung cancer surpassed breast cancer to become the leading cause of cancer death in U.S. women. Unlike early breast cancer and many other types of cancer, lung cancer is rarely curable. Most deaths from lung cancer among U.S. women are caused by smoking

What are the immediate benefits of quitting smoking for women?

The immediate health benefits of quitting smoking are substantial. Within a few hours, the level of carbon monoxide in the blood begins to decline. (Carbon monoxide reduces the blood’s ability to carry oxygen.) The former smoker's heart rate and blood pressure, which were abnormally high while smoking, begin to return to normal. Within a few weeks, women who quit smoking have improved circulation, don’t produce as much phlegm, and don’t cough or wheeze as often. Women can also expect significant improvements in lung function within several months of quitting

Also, women who quit smoking reduce the risk of infertility, and pregnant women who quit early in their pregnancy reduce the risk of the baby being born too early and with an abnormally low weight

What are the long-term benefits of quitting smoking for women?

Quitting smoking dramatically reduces the risk of developing an illness caused by smoking :

• The risk of death from heart disease is substantially reduced within 1 or 2 years after quitting, and eventually becomes the same as that of nonsmokers.

• The risk of death from lung cancer and other lung diseases declines steadily, beginning about 5 years after quitting.

• Quitting smoking as early in life as possible is likely to reduce the risk of fractures that would be caused by smoking in old age.

Regardless of age, women can substantially reduce the risk of disease, including cancer, by quitting smoking. For women who have already developed cancer, quitting smoking helps the body to heal and to respond to cancer treatment, and quitting reduces the risk of developing a second cancer.

 

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