Effect of Cigarette Smoking on Semen Parameters among Male Partners Attending GarbhaGudi IVF Centre, Bengaluru: A Retrospective Cross-sectional Analytical Study

Background: Cigarette smoking is a common and modifiable lifestyle exposure among men of reproductive age. Although its systemic health effects are well established, its relationship with semen quality remains clinically important because semen analysis is a key component of male infertility evaluation. The aim is to compare semen parameters between smokers and non-smokers among male partners attending an in vitro fertilisation centre. Material and Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional analytical study was conducted in the Department of Clinical Embryology, GarbhaGudi IVF Centre, Bengaluru, from January 2021 to July 2021. A total of 300 men with a history of infertility for at least 1 year were included. Participants were grouped according to smoking status into smokers (n=150) and non-smokers (n=150). Demographic information and semen parameters, including semen volume, pH, sperm concentration, motility, morphology, and white blood cell count, were analysed. Data were tested for normality using the Shapiro-Wilk test and compared using the independent samples t-test; categorical macroscopic findings were assessed using the Chi-square test when applicable. Results: The overall mean age of the participants was 34.9 ± 5.2 years. Smokers and non-smokers had comparable mean age (34.4 ± 4.6 vs 35.4 ± 5.7 years; p=0.10) and semen volume (2.6 ± 1.2 vs 2.7 ± 1.4 mL; p=0.60). Sperm concentration was numerically lower in smokers than in non-smokers (51.7 ± 29.7 vs 55.9 ± 35.2 million/mL), but the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.26). Total motility, progressive motility, normal morphology, total abnormal morphology, and WBC counts were also statistically comparable. Statistically significant differences were observed for pH (p=0.01), head defects (p=0.04), neck/mid-piece defects (p=0.02), and tail defects (p=0.01). Macroscopic semen viscosity and colour showed no meaningful between-group difference. Conclusion: In this cohort of infertile male partners, smoking status was associated with statistically significant differences in semen pH and selected morphology indices, whereas semen volume, sperm concentration, motility, normal morphology, and WBC counts did not differ significantly. The findings support routine assessment of smoking exposure during male infertility work-up and reinforce the need for structured smoking cessation counselling as part of reproductive health care.

Keywords: Male infertility; semen analysis; cigarette smoking; sperm motility; sperm morphology; IVF centre; reproductive health.