A woman smokes a cigarette, Reuters
Smoking is known to cause a plethora of health problems in women. Those women who tend to smoke are at a greater risk of various cancers (including lung, mouth, larynx, pharynx, esophagus, kidney, pancreas, kidney, and bladder) and respiratory diseases. In the below article, we explain why quitting smoking is the need of the hour.
Smoking is injurious to health. Well, people often tend to ignore this warning and do not think about the consequences of it. Hence, one is susceptible to a large number of health problems that can steal one’s peace of mind. Moreover, smoking is known to cause higher morbidity and mortality rates in the country. Here, we help you to understand how smoking can be a matter of concern for women.
This is how smoking impacts a woman’s health
- Women who smoke may develop respiratory problems. There are a majority of women who are having chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchitis, and asthma due to smoking.
- Women who smoke have the chance of suffering from cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx (voice box), esophagus, pancreas, kidney, bladder, and uterine cervix. They are also at risk of getting coronary heart disease.
- Postmenopausal women who tend to smoke have lower bone density. Women have an increased risk of hip fracture and skin wrinkling that will make them look older.
- Women who smoke are more likely to have disrupted menses. They will see irregular or painful periods and have low estrogen levels, which can lead to mood swings, fatigue, and vaginal dryness. They can even experience menopause at a younger age, and struggle with infertility which is the inability to become pregnant.
- Those women who smoke can encounter various pregnancy problems. There can be chances of the baby being born too early, serious birth defects, like a cleft lip or cleft palate, and low birth weight, the baby will be less likely to have normal brain development before birth and through early childhood and the baby may even succumb to death owing to the sudden infant death syndrome.
- Women who smoke are known to have depression, anxiety, stress, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), suicidal thoughts, and substance use.
- Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is a more common occurrence in one who smokes than in people who don’t.
- Smoking causes gum problems and even cataracts too.
The last word: It is essential to quit smoking and improve your quality of life. Opt for smoking cessation therapy. Eat vegetables such as carrot sticks and celery when you desire to have something in your hand/mouth. If need be, you can also take the help of a counselor who can help you to deal with any issues you are facing.
The author is Director Cardiac Science, Medicover Hospitals, Navi Mumbai. Views expressed are personal.
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