Airway pollution and smoking in reproductive health

Environmental exposure refers to contact with chemical, biolog-ical, or physical substances found in air, water, food, or soil that may have a harmful effect on a person's health. Almost all of the global population (99%) breathe air that contains high levels of pollutants. Smoking is one of the most common forms of recreational drug use and is the leading preventable cause of morbidity and mor-tality worldwide. The small particles from either ambient (outdoor) pollution or cigarette smoke are inhaled to the lungs and quickly absorbed into the bloodstream. These substances can affect virtually every organ in our body and have been associated with various respiratory, cardiovascular, endocrine, and also reproductive morbidities, including decreased fertility, adverse pregnancy outcomes, and offspring long-term morbidity. This review summarizes the latest literature reporting the repro-ductive consequences of women exposed to ambient (outdoor) air pollution and cigarette smoking. (c) 2022 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Automated summary

Environmental exposure refers to contact with substances that can harm human health, such as chemicals, biological agents, and physical substances. Both environmental pollution and smoking can have detrimental effects on our body organs, leading to various diseases and reproductive issues.