Final answer:
Women who smoke face special health risks including infertility, as smoking interferes with estrogen production, and harmful effects during pregnancy, leading to miscarriages and low-birth-weight infants. Smoking also reduces the effectiveness of certain therapeutic drugs and increases the risk of various cancers and chronic diseases.
Step-by-step explanation:
Smoking poses several health risks that are specific to women. One significant issue is the impact on the female reproductive system, where smoking can lead to infertility. Women who smoke have approximately a 60 percent higher chance of being infertile compared to non-smokers. This is partly due to interference with the body's ability to produce estrogen.
For pregnant women, smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke increases the likelihood of experiencing miscarriages and giving birth to low-birth-weight infants. Additionally, smoking can have a detrimental effect on the effectiveness of certain therapeutic drugs, such as some antidepressants and anticonvulsants, due to an increase in liver enzymes that break down these drugs.
Smoking is a well-known cause of lung cancer, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and may complicate pregnancy, as highlighted by the Surgeon General's warnings. Other types of cancer, cardiovascular issues, and chronic diseases are also heightened risks due to smoking. It's crucial to be aware of these risks, which underscore the importance of avoiding smoking for better overall health and well-being.