There are 1.1 billion people around the globe with a smoking addiction — adding up to a reported 5.8 trillion cigarettes smoked in the year 2014 alone.

Think about this: With each cigarette that is lit and smoked, 7,000 chemicals are spread throughout the body. The major health issues that result, such as heart disease and lung cancer, are well-documented, but many people don’t realize that smoking is also one of the biggest threats to the fertility of both men and women.

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Some 48.5 million couples globally experience infertility, with one in eight U.S. couples encountering obstacles in achieving or sustaining a pregnancy. Estimates show that 13 percent of infertility is a result of smoking.

Related: How to Stop Smoking for Real This Time

To build awareness around the harmful effects of smoking on fertility on “World No Tobacco Day” — which is today, May 31 — below is a breakdown on how this awful habit hurts both genders.

The Impact on Female Fertility

  • Reduction of egg quality. The chemicals in cigarettes damage the genetic information in eggs and accelerate egg loss; once ovarian supply is diminished, it cannot be replaced.
  • Higher rate of miscarriage. Women who smoke are 16 percent more likely to experience a miscarriage.
  • Higher risk of ectopic pregnancy. The risk of ectopic pregnancy increases by 43 percent in female smokers.
  • Irregular ovulation. Smoking lowers estrogen in the body. If estrogen production is low, the egg won’t develop well and the brain won’t be signaled to release luteinizing hormone, which causes ovulation.
  • Premature menopause. Menopause occurs one to four years earlier in female smokers.
  • Increased Polycystic Ovary Syndrome symptoms. Smoking increases androgen levels in women, causing PCOS symptoms to increase and hurting fertility potential.

The Impact on Male Fertility

  • Damaged sperm. Smoking causes the sperm count and movement (or motility) of sperm to decrease 16 to 17 percent. It damages the DNA in the sperm and makes them less likely to function correctly.
  • Lowered sperm concentration. Men who smoke over 20 cigarettes a day experience a 19 percent reduction in sperm concentration compared to nonsmokers.
  • Hormonal issues. Smoking decreases testosterone levels in men, harming fertility.
  • Lowered semen ejaculate. The quantity declines in smokers, particularly those who smoke more than 16 cigarettes a day.
  • Erectile dysfunction. Smoking can cause issues with achieving and maintaining an erection.

A study published in the journal Science — which was done by researchers from Los Alamos National Laboratory and the University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, in the U.S. and at various other international institutions — found that smoking causes hundreds of permanent genetic DNA changes within the body. Genetic mutations can also occur in the DNA of egg and sperm.

Other studies have also shown that couples who smoke require nearly twice as many attempts at in vitro fertilization compared to non-smokers. Abstaining from smoking has a positive and swift impact on fertility. Women can increase chances of conception within two months, while men can see some negative effects cleared within three months.

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Related: Why Fertility Is at an All-Time Low

Smoking is an extremely challenging addiction to quit, but 1.3 million smokers successfully stop each year. With so many smoking cessation programs as well as countless free resources promoted by the CDC, there is sure to be a quitting method that is right for you.

Dr. Edward L. Marut sees patients at two Fertility Centers of Illinois (FCI) locations, Highland Park and Chicago/River North. Dr. Marut is lifetime board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology and in reproductive endocrinology and infertility, and has been practicing medicine since 1981. He has served as the Highland Park IVF medical director at FCI since 1991 and now is the medical director of the Chicago River North IVF Center.