Each year, 178,000 women in the U.S. die from cigarette smoking. On average, each female smoker loses 14.5 years of her life, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). Twenty one million women, or 18.5 percent, continue to smoke despite serious health risks, and the same percentage of pregnant women smoke, damaging their baby's health in addition to their own. In 2001, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. David Satcher called smoking-related illness in women "a full-blown epidemic." Smoking effects the health of women in numerous ways.
Diseases of the Lung
Lung cancer is the number one cancer killer of women and causes more deaths than breast cancer, reports the ACS. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), lung cancer kills 45,000 women per year. It also increases the risk tenfold of dying from chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Smoking also causes chronic coughing and increases the incidence of respiratory infection.
Diseases of the Heart and Circulatory System
Heart disease is the top killer of women. Women who smoke double their risk for developing coronary heart disease; and women who smoke are eight times more likely to have an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) than women who never smoked. AAA involves the weakening and ballooning of the aorta, which can then rupture and cause death quickly. Smoking also causes blood clots, strokes and poor circulation in the arms and legs, called peripheral vascular disease (PVD).
Effects on Reproductive Health and Pregnancy
According to the ACS, smoking damages reproductive health. Women who smoke are more likely to have infertility problems and tend to go into menopause at an earlier age than non-smokers. Cigarette smoking also increases risks of premature birth, stillbirth and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Smoking also increases the risk of premature membrane rupture and separation of the placenta from the uterus, causing life-threatening emergencies.
Other Cancers
Women who smoke tobacco also face increased risk for other types of cancers, including cancers of the nose, lips, tongue sinuses, throat, voice box, esophagus, stomach, pancreas, kidney, bladder and cervix. Smoking also causes some types of leukemias.
Brittle Bones and Fractures
After menopause, women who smoke have weaker bones than women who never smoked. Smokers also have a higher risk for hip fractures than woman who never smoked, according to the CDC.
